I watched that CNN show last night on TWA flight 800 and was wondering if any of you saw it and what you thought about it. Feed back? I believe it is on again this evening.

 

IMHO the statistics were clearly sketchy at best! If they (press, etc) are going to try to scare the public, they need to have some real science & numbers ready to back up their claims. Not just "we are overdue for another disaster"....

 

I still don't believe it was the center fuel tank that caused it!

 

Yeah, the whole program and their explanations seemed a bit fishy to me. I agree with Animals about the bogus statistics as well. What is up with that? What kind of science predicts a spark in a fuel tank every 4 years?

 

So is the opinion of the pilots here that 800 came down from some sinister event? i.e. a bomb/missile/other terrorist act?

 

No rational person with any kind of relevant engineering or government experience believes that there was any kind of cover-up. Even if you believe in that kind of crap, far too many people were involved to keep it quiet. The normal investigative process obviously addressed terrorism/hostile action, and that aspect of the process would have involved alphabet-soup organizations which naturally play the cards close to their vest...so there would certainly be some legitimate and normal secrecy.

With that being said, the center fuel tank spark theory seems very plausible, but there is no absolute evidence confirming that. It is simply the most likely explanation. But the there is certainly no evidence of an intentional act, unless the perpetrators used weapons systems of unkown technology which leave no measureable trace (ie space aliens).

 

My father was a mechanic for TWA. Probably worked on that very same aircraft at one point or another. Says that the conclusions made by the NTSB were not possible. I have to believe something else brought that plane down.

 

IMHO, MANPAD of some sort. No proof, just a thought. I don't think it was the U.S. Navy like some have suggested.

 

I don't blame the Navy as well. Too many people involved that would make that truth come out.. I will take into account the NTSB's account of the accident, but I have my own personal reasons for believing that it may have not been the central fuel tank spark...I guess though that it really doesn't matter, those dear souls are gone....whether it was terrorism or just a bad aircraft.

 

Well whatever the cause, the "Fuel Tank" theory has caused changes to the way the center pumps are used.. I have experienced the changes on both the 737NG and the 777.. It would seem that maybe there is a design problem with the pumps, or perhaps it is all meant to lend credit to the NTSB findings..
On a side note, I read a story recently that they are using the recovered / reconstructed pieces of the aircraft to train people in various agencies. Maybe the awful loss of life on 800 will lead to better knowledge for the future investigators.. Sad that it takes loss of life to often bring about change in this biz..