Was TWA 800 really a fuel tank accident??

Question

Jet fuel, (like JP-4) is like kerosene. It has a high flash point. I once saw a demonstration by a Fire Dept. Where they dropped a match in a dish of kerosene. It went out. I know there are dangerous fumes from gasolene, but fumes from kerosene? Easy to ignite? Don't think so. A cover-up??

Answer 1

It wasn't the fuel itself that ignited, but the fumes. The reserve tank in question was mostly empty, so there was plenty of room for fumes to accumulate, ready for a spark. Fumes are much more flammable than the fuel itself. Because high-voltage wiring used for cabin lighting was bundled with the low-voltage electronic fuel sensors, and the insulation on old planes tends to crack, the wires became crossed and provided just the spark needed to ignite the tank and set off the chain of events that happened from that point. After TWA 800, airlines know not to leave a fuel tank mostly empty, and in the future, all new Boeing planes will be equipped with nitrogen pumps that will remove oxygen from empty fuel tanks. Without oxygen in the tank, ignition can never occur.

Answer 2

Is there really a history of cover up in this country? Everything I see that is some stupid human mistake always comes out as such. Especially military mistakes. But if you want a reference take a look at what happened in Iran. 1988 the Vincennes downed an A300 with 290 people on board. Yes it is debatable about the flight path of the jet etc. But the US admitted the action right off the bat. That would have been the place to cover something up thousands of miles away. Not here in our backyard. You also have to look throughout history at how many planes do simply blow-up in mid flight. This isn’t the first by a long shot.

The real things to look at:
-Jet-A will easily combust over 81 degrees at Sea level. This is why you can through a match in cool Jet-A and do just fine. Have your fire-fighter friend try this with Jet-A at 100 degrees and see who walks away and who runs (but seriously don’t try this or someone will get hurt!)
-Given the heat of the day and the A/Cs under the tank the estimated temperature of the small amount of fuel was almost 130 degrees. If the tank was full it would not have heated more than a few degrees.
-50 gallons were in the center tank which normally holds 13,000. This is an almost ideal mixture for an unstable combustion condition.
-The plane sat on the ground with the air conditioners running full tilt for 4 hours. Two of these A/C units sit underneath this very tank!
-The vaporization temperature of Jet-A decreases as altitude increases (easier evaporation).
-The plane was at 13,000 feet when the explosion happened.

If you mix up the temperature, fuel/air mixture conditions, and heat it all makes sense. The ignition sources is the only unresolved part of the equation as far as I know. Probably arcing in the fuel pump relay.

•Anyone who knows what SAMS do to a plane couldn’t believe it was a missile. Almost all of them (especially shoulder fired) go for the engines. We have seen this in Africa and Iraq and in both cases it only knock off the motor.
•The big SAMS use lots of shrapnel and explode close (but not running into) the aircraft and spray shrapnel everywhere. You would have seen metal balls and traces of them everywhere.
•There isn’t a missile made that targets the fuel tank of a plane.
- The Stinger's maximum altitude is 15,000 (the plane was at 13,000 which would make this a stretch.


Everyone seems to love conspiracies if they fit or not..

Answer 3

FBI Special Agent Jim Kallstrom was assigned the TWA crash
investigation. Jim is NObody's fool, or likely to cave under pressure from anyone.
He stated for the record that the relay in the main fuel tank(which, by the way, is the size of a one-car garage!) shorted and sparked. BOOM!!!
The mixture of fuel/air was perfect for this to occurr.
JP-4 is a light, aromatically volatile fuel, but when it goes........
"Nuff said

Answer 4

That is so weord cuz i just saw a show on CNN last nite about thsi disaster. Some people believe that a missle hit the plane from a navy ship accidentaly and the fuel tank was a cover up for their huge mistake.

Answer 5

This was discussed on Coast To Coast AM radio.
The guest,who wrote a book on the subject,investigated the incident100% and this was no accident.
Go to the Coast To Coast web site and check previous shows.
using the search you should be able to find the facts.
www.coasttocoastam.com
This is on Coast To Coast ..Right "NOW" July,18,06

The book is :First Srike by Jack Cashill www.cashill.com
Also : Peter Lance exposes the Ramzi Yousef connection

Please read New York Times July,18 & 19 1996
"before they were told to shut up!"

This whole thing is a big stinky deal!

Answer 6

Basically, yes it was. Transmile Air (Malaysia) had a similar incident recently in Bangalore (India) where electrical arcing caused an explosion in the fuel tank.... Conspiracy theories are great and far more interesting though

Answer 7

actually, there were other pilots in the vicinity that "saw" a missile elevate and strike the jet. I think fuel tank/wire cause was a cover up.

Answer 8

Well I really don't know but you should read the book called Night Fall. Its about the incident and I really liked it. You should check it out.