WITH NEARLY 80% of the Trans World Airlines Boeing 747-100 now recovered from the sea off Long Island, New York, there is still no evidence of bomb or missile damage. At the same time, there has been further study into the centre fuel-tank explosion and whether it caused the 17 July disaster.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) insists, however, that there is not enough positive evidence to substantiate any current theories.
During the last week of September a 3 x 3.5m section of the centre fuel tank, plus some fuel-quantity probes, were recovered from the sea, the US Navy says. The NTSB claims that this may help to determine why the tank exploded.
On 11 May, 1990, a Philippine Airlines Boeing 737-300 centre-tank exploded during pushback at Manila airport, Philippines, and eight passengers were killed.
The cabin floor was pushed violently upward, secondary fires ignited in the wing tanks, and the cabin was completely destroyed by fire. The cause of ignition in the empty centre tank was not certain, but a bomb was ruled out.
Source: Flight International
