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TIMELINE (Outline) with Comments

IE 20:31:12

MF 20:31:36

I will leave the exact splashdown calculations to those who are more adept at it than I am. I would postulate however, splashdown at approx. 20:31:45--20:31:47

What we DO know from the debris field. Explosion/Impact at Row 18 blows seats, luggage & passengers from Rows 17, 18 & vicinity into the Ocean. Fuselage severed at Row 18. Earliest ejecta: (1) Forward wing spar CW-504 nose tire and A/C unit. (2) Forward cabin with cockpit, forward cargo bins, additional bodies. (3) Wing tanks explode at approx. 20:31:36. (4) Bodies from rear cabin, luggage, rear cargo bins. Wings, engines, FDR, CVR and main fuselage. (5) Large portions of CWT approx 2.5 miles from IE.

The location of the bulk of the CWT two and a half miles from the first row 17 passenger's bodies leads to the inevitable conclusion that the explosion of the center wing tank was SECONDARY to the first event that brought the plane down. The center wing tank MUST have exploded some time after the initial event, otherwise the rear fuselage and wings would NOT still have been in one piece.

While the explosion of the center fuel tank is the probable cause of the MF, it is NOT likely the cause of the intial breakup of the aircraft, which blasted the row 17 passengers out.

While the explosion of the center fuel tank is the probable cause of the MF, it is NOT likely the cause of the intial breakup of the aircraft, which blasted the row 17 passengers out.

I'd say the CWT explosion is the probable cause of the FIRST fireball. The MF (Massive Fireball) was more probably the result of the left wing separating from the aircraft. That would also be known as the SECOND fireball.

I will leave the exact splashdown calculations to those who are more adept at it than I am. I would postulate however, splashdown at approx. 20:31:45--20:31:47

As much as I agree with you on a lot of things, Islip had the main body of the aircraft on radar up to 20:31:48:94.