SUSPICIONS THAT A BOMB brought down Trans World Airlines Flight 800 on 17 July have been reinforced by additional traces of explosive residue and a Boeing analysis of a centre fuel-tank explosion. Accident investigators and federal law-enforcement officials still cannot say, that the TWA Boeing 747-100 was downed by a bomb hidden aboard however.
Investigators said on 30 August that "-additional microscopic explosive traces of unknown origin have been found relating to TWA Flight 800". They add, however, that, based upon all of the scientific and forensic evidence analysed to date, "-we still cannot conclude that TWA Flight 800 crashed as a result of an explosive device".
Other evidence, such as physical damage or patterns characteristic of a detonation, is needed before "-a positive conclusion of an explosive device could be made".
A preliminary study by Boeing also concludes that an exploding centre fuel-tank alone would not be powerful enough to bring down a Boeing 747. Boeing officials say, that additional tests and new information, on TWA Flight 800, is required before it is judged that the aircraft was brought down by an explosion.
The presidential commission on airline safety and security formed in the wake of the TWA Fight 800 crash will produce "an action plan" for combating terrorists acts against aviation. Among other things, the group headed by US Vice-President Gore will consider new airport explosive-detection systems.
Members of the special White House commission include: Department of transportation secretary Federico Pena, CIA director John Deutch, FBI director Louis Freeh, safety board chairman Jim Hall, and terrorism expert Brian Jenkins.
Source: Flight International
