1 00:00:01,368 --> 00:00:02,402 FE. KRICK: Power set. 2 00:00:02,436 --> 00:00:04,037 [Explosion] 3 00:00:04,071 --> 00:00:08,208 NEWSCAST (Archive): A TWA Flight 800 has exploded in mid-air. 4 00:00:08,242 --> 00:00:10,110 NARRATOR: The sea is on fire. 5 00:00:10,143 --> 00:00:12,579 BOB: It was a horrible thing. 6 00:00:12,613 --> 00:00:16,884 NARRATOR: 230 lives are lost. 7 00:00:16,917 --> 00:00:19,686 Eyewitnesses give a frightening account. 8 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,289 AL: A lot of them thought they saw missiles. 9 00:00:22,322 --> 00:00:25,459 JAMES KALLSTROM: My gut said it was an act of terrorism. 10 00:00:25,492 --> 00:00:27,761 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: All right. Let's get to it. 11 00:00:27,794 --> 00:00:30,464 NARRATOR: The search for the truth will pit crash investigators 12 00:00:30,497 --> 00:00:34,001 against the nation's most respected crime detectives. 13 00:00:34,034 --> 00:00:37,404 JAMES KALLSTROM (Archive): Microscopic explosive traces of unknown origin. 14 00:00:37,437 --> 00:00:41,742 AL: The criminal aspect kept coming up over and over. 15 00:00:41,775 --> 00:00:44,278 NARRATOR: To make their case, the NTSB will attempt 16 00:00:44,311 --> 00:00:45,979 the unthinkable. 17 00:00:46,013 --> 00:00:48,215 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: We're gonna rebuild the entire plane. 18 00:00:48,248 --> 00:00:52,619 JAMES WILDEY: It really looks like an impossible job. 19 00:00:52,653 --> 00:01:02,729 [♪ theme music ] 20 00:01:02,763 --> 00:01:10,404 [♪ theme music ] 21 00:01:10,437 --> 00:01:16,443 ♪ 22 00:01:16,476 --> 00:01:20,080 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (Archive): Heavy turn here. Go left on Bravo today. 23 00:01:20,113 --> 00:01:21,215 NARRATOR: It's a hot summer evening 24 00:01:21,248 --> 00:01:25,252 at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. 25 00:01:25,285 --> 00:01:29,890 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (Archive): If you look off your left, eight o'clock. 26 00:01:29,923 --> 00:01:31,892 NARRATOR: Trans World Airlines Flight 800 27 00:01:31,925 --> 00:01:37,898 is almost an hour late for departure. 28 00:01:37,931 --> 00:01:42,536 The Boeing 747 jumbo jet is carrying 212 passengers, 29 00:01:42,569 --> 00:01:44,104 many of them now growing impatient 30 00:01:44,104 --> 00:01:46,773 for the flight to Paris to get underway. 31 00:01:55,949 --> 00:01:57,184 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Are we gonna start placing bets 32 00:01:57,217 --> 00:02:00,621 on when we actually push off? 33 00:02:00,654 --> 00:02:03,824 NARRATOR: Captain Ralph Kevorkian is an experienced pilot, 34 00:02:03,857 --> 00:02:05,893 but this will be just his second training flight 35 00:02:05,926 --> 00:02:09,296 as a 747 captain. 36 00:02:09,329 --> 00:02:12,132 BOB: All airline pilots, including captains, 37 00:02:12,165 --> 00:02:15,435 are checked at least twice yearly in flight procedures 38 00:02:15,469 --> 00:02:18,939 and how well they coordinate with their crew, 39 00:02:18,972 --> 00:02:20,941 anything having to do with flying. 40 00:02:20,974 --> 00:02:22,809 And it's just another safety measure 41 00:02:22,843 --> 00:02:24,745 that the airlines go through. 42 00:02:24,778 --> 00:02:26,280 CAPT. SNYDER: Twenty dollars on us getting out of here 43 00:02:26,313 --> 00:02:27,714 before sundown. 44 00:02:27,748 --> 00:02:29,683 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: I'll take that bet. 45 00:02:29,716 --> 00:02:32,152 NARRATOR: Captain Steve Snyder has been flying with TWA 46 00:02:32,186 --> 00:02:35,088 for over 30 years. 47 00:02:35,088 --> 00:02:38,625 Tonight, he's conducting the line check on Captain Kevorkian 48 00:02:38,659 --> 00:02:41,094 while also acting as the first officer. 49 00:02:45,699 --> 00:02:48,101 Janet Christopher is one of fourteen flight attendants 50 00:02:48,135 --> 00:02:49,536 on the big jet. 51 00:02:55,909 --> 00:02:59,580 JANET: It'll be much cooler when we're in the air. 52 00:02:59,613 --> 00:03:01,548 NARRATOR: She's doing all she can to make passengers 53 00:03:01,582 --> 00:03:05,853 comfortable during the ongoing delay. 54 00:03:05,886 --> 00:03:07,855 JAMES KALLSTROM: She was very, very senior, 55 00:03:07,888 --> 00:03:10,858 the head stewardess on the airplane that evening. 56 00:03:10,891 --> 00:03:12,559 JANET: It shouldn't be much longer. 57 00:03:12,593 --> 00:03:14,494 Let me check with the captain. 58 00:03:14,528 --> 00:03:16,363 JAMES KALLSTROM: Janet was on that plane that evening 59 00:03:16,396 --> 00:03:20,067 because she switched with another stewardess 60 00:03:20,067 --> 00:03:23,170 'cause she wanted to be home that next weekend 61 00:03:23,203 --> 00:03:28,242 'cause her son Charles was gonna be given his Eagle Scout. 62 00:03:28,275 --> 00:03:31,645 JANET: The crowd's getting a bit restless. Any news? 63 00:03:31,678 --> 00:03:36,350 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: I haven't heard anything yet. They're still looking. 64 00:03:36,383 --> 00:03:38,619 NARRATOR: The reason for the delay is that a piece of luggage 65 00:03:38,652 --> 00:03:41,555 is on board but its owner is not. 66 00:03:41,588 --> 00:03:45,092 This is a red flag for airline security. 67 00:03:45,092 --> 00:03:46,727 JAMES KALLSTROM: We were at a very high state of alert 68 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:48,662 in the United States leading up to this 69 00:03:48,695 --> 00:03:51,532 and we had all kinds of threats coming in. 70 00:03:51,565 --> 00:03:56,770 Not specific to aviation but I mean real bona fide threats. 71 00:03:56,803 --> 00:04:00,440 NARRATOR: The bombing of Air India Flight 182 a decade ago 72 00:04:00,474 --> 00:04:04,344 was a wake-up call for the entire industry. 73 00:04:04,378 --> 00:04:06,880 Terrorists checked a bag packed with explosives 74 00:04:06,914 --> 00:04:13,654 onto a jumbo jet bound for Delhi. 329 people died. 75 00:04:13,687 --> 00:04:16,290 Since then, all checked bags must be matched 76 00:04:16,323 --> 00:04:19,626 to seated passengers before any flight can depart. 77 00:04:22,896 --> 00:04:24,565 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Your old man tell you it was gonna be 78 00:04:24,598 --> 00:04:26,567 this exciting to fly with us, Ollie? 79 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,705 FE. KRICK: Oh yeah. It's a thrill a minute, just like he described. 80 00:04:31,738 --> 00:04:34,374 NARRATOR: Flight engineer Oliver Krick is a new recruit 81 00:04:34,408 --> 00:04:37,277 with only six flights under his belt. 82 00:04:37,311 --> 00:04:41,114 His father is also a TWA pilot. 83 00:04:41,148 --> 00:04:43,650 BOB: The flight engineer was only 25 years old. 84 00:04:43,684 --> 00:04:46,787 It had to be pretty exciting for him to be a flight engineer 85 00:04:46,820 --> 00:04:49,623 on the queen of the skies, the 747. 86 00:04:49,656 --> 00:04:51,325 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: You wanna get in on this, Richard? 87 00:04:51,358 --> 00:04:55,095 Twenty bucks. Easy money. 88 00:04:55,095 --> 00:04:57,764 NARRATOR: Richard Campbell completes the cockpit crew. 89 00:04:57,798 --> 00:05:01,034 He's on board to help train the young flight engineer. 90 00:05:05,038 --> 00:05:07,374 Passengers wait as the minutes tick by. 91 00:05:19,052 --> 00:05:21,221 GATE AGENT: TWA 800? 92 00:05:26,226 --> 00:05:28,529 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: TWA 800. Go ahead. 93 00:05:28,562 --> 00:05:32,366 GATE AGENT: We're reconciled. Passenger was on board the whole time. 94 00:05:32,399 --> 00:05:36,136 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Are you kidding me? Roger that. 95 00:05:36,170 --> 00:05:38,772 CAPT. SNYDER: Hey, you owe me twenty. 96 00:05:38,805 --> 00:05:41,475 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Yeah, yeah. We'll settle up in Paris. 97 00:05:45,078 --> 00:05:46,647 Ladies and gentlemen, from the flight deck 98 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,815 thank you all so much for your patience. 99 00:05:48,849 --> 00:05:50,083 We've been cleared to go. 100 00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:52,452 We'll be pushing back from the gate shortly. 101 00:05:55,322 --> 00:05:57,558 ♪ 102 00:05:57,591 --> 00:05:59,493 Takeoff thrust. 103 00:06:07,801 --> 00:06:12,940 NARRATOR: Finally, at 8:19 pm, TWA Flight 800 is airborne. 104 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:18,212 ♪ 105 00:06:18,245 --> 00:06:21,081 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: TWA 800, amend the altitude. 106 00:06:21,114 --> 00:06:24,418 Maintain one-three thousand, 13,000 for now. 107 00:06:24,451 --> 00:06:29,289 CAPT. SNYDER: TWA 800 okay, stop climb at one-three-thousand. 108 00:06:29,323 --> 00:06:32,759 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Stop climb one-three-thousand. 109 00:06:32,793 --> 00:06:35,095 NARRATOR: Altitude reassignments are a routine part 110 00:06:35,128 --> 00:06:39,466 of the climb out from JFK. 111 00:06:39,499 --> 00:06:40,601 BOB: The airspace around New York City 112 00:06:40,634 --> 00:06:42,603 is probably one of the busiest in the world. 113 00:06:42,636 --> 00:06:44,872 You have not only JFK, you have La Guardia, 114 00:06:44,905 --> 00:06:47,841 the Liberty Airport, Teterboro, and they all 115 00:06:47,875 --> 00:06:52,679 have to mesh together air traffic control-wise. 116 00:06:52,713 --> 00:06:56,450 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: TWA 800, climb and maintain one-five thousand. 117 00:06:56,483 --> 00:06:58,619 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Climb thrust. 118 00:06:58,652 --> 00:07:02,823 CAPT. SNYDER: TWA 800, climb and maintain one-five thousand 119 00:07:02,856 --> 00:07:06,593 leaving one-three thousand. 120 00:07:06,627 --> 00:07:09,296 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Ollie. Climb thrust. 121 00:07:13,467 --> 00:07:15,802 FE. KRICK: Power set. 122 00:07:15,836 --> 00:07:30,217 ♪ 123 00:07:30,250 --> 00:07:32,152 JANET: [Gasps] 124 00:07:32,186 --> 00:07:37,057 ♪ 125 00:07:37,090 --> 00:07:41,828 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Talk to me. What do you have for us? 126 00:07:41,862 --> 00:07:43,964 NARRATOR: Without warning, a powerful explosion 127 00:07:44,064 --> 00:07:49,169 tears the fuselage apart. 128 00:07:49,203 --> 00:07:52,239 BOB: In the front of the airplane that broke off, 129 00:07:52,272 --> 00:07:54,808 the centrifugal force had to be just horrendous 130 00:07:54,842 --> 00:07:57,978 as the nose fell down. 131 00:07:58,078 --> 00:08:03,116 [Screaming and chaos] 132 00:08:03,150 --> 00:08:05,252 NARRATOR: The front third of the plane is gone. 133 00:08:05,285 --> 00:08:09,022 What's left continues skyward engulfed in flames. 134 00:08:09,056 --> 00:08:13,327 [Screaming] 135 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,495 JAMES KALLSTROM: It went up at least another thousand feet, 136 00:08:15,529 --> 00:08:17,631 maybe fifteen hundred feet, you know, 137 00:08:17,664 --> 00:08:19,766 and flames pouring off of it. 138 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,303 ♪ 139 00:08:23,337 --> 00:08:30,677 [Screaming] 140 00:08:33,046 --> 00:08:38,418 BOB: It had to be horrible for the passengers. 141 00:08:38,452 --> 00:08:42,756 You'd have a 250, 300 knot wind all of a sudden 142 00:08:42,789 --> 00:08:51,965 blasting them in the face. It was a horrible thing. 143 00:09:03,810 --> 00:09:08,315 AL: The TV had shots of pieces of wreckage on fire 144 00:09:08,348 --> 00:09:10,484 floating on the ocean. 145 00:09:10,517 --> 00:09:13,687 NARRATOR: Debris from TWA Flight 800 litters the water 146 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:19,660 nearly 75 miles east of Manhattan. 147 00:09:19,693 --> 00:09:23,463 NEWSCAST (Archive): 212 passengers, 17 crew. 148 00:09:23,497 --> 00:09:29,036 212 passengers, 17 crew. 149 00:09:29,069 --> 00:09:34,842 NARRATOR: Search and rescue aircraft scan the sea. 150 00:09:34,875 --> 00:09:37,110 A media swarm descends on Long Island 151 00:09:37,144 --> 00:09:40,280 where dozens of witnesses are describing what they saw. 152 00:09:40,314 --> 00:09:42,549 WITNESS (Archive): Me and my cousin Joe, we was over by the dock over there 153 00:09:42,583 --> 00:09:44,384 and we was over there crabbing and, uh, he says 154 00:09:44,418 --> 00:09:46,320 yo, Darren, look in the... look up in the air, 155 00:09:46,353 --> 00:09:51,491 there's a big ball of, uh, fire. 156 00:09:51,525 --> 00:09:55,829 AL: You had boats coming in with pieces of wreckage on 'em 157 00:09:55,863 --> 00:09:58,599 and some bodies being brought right in there 158 00:09:58,632 --> 00:10:04,238 and all sorts of press people all over the place and police. 159 00:10:04,271 --> 00:10:07,541 PRESIDENT CLINTON (Archive): The National Transportation Safety Board, the FAA 160 00:10:07,574 --> 00:10:10,844 and the FBI are on the scene of the crash. 161 00:10:10,878 --> 00:10:14,381 As of now no survivors have been found. 162 00:10:14,414 --> 00:10:16,884 NARRATOR: With a nation in shock, investigators begin 163 00:10:16,917 --> 00:10:20,254 the painstaking task of piecing together what happened 164 00:10:20,287 --> 00:10:20,654 to TWA 800. 165 00:10:24,024 --> 00:10:32,666 ♪ 166 00:10:32,700 --> 00:10:34,068 By the next morning, it's clear 167 00:10:34,101 --> 00:10:39,840 that none of the 230 people aboard TWA 800 have survived. 168 00:10:39,874 --> 00:10:48,015 ♪ 169 00:10:48,048 --> 00:10:50,084 It is the third deadliest airline disaster 170 00:10:50,117 --> 00:10:54,188 in U.S. history. 171 00:10:54,221 --> 00:10:57,224 The NTSB's lead investigator, Al Dickinson, 172 00:10:57,258 --> 00:11:01,328 faces an urgent task. 173 00:11:01,362 --> 00:11:06,233 AL: It was extremely important for us to find out what happened 174 00:11:06,267 --> 00:11:12,273 because there were so many 747s flying at that time. 175 00:11:12,306 --> 00:11:15,876 The NTSB will lead the investigation 176 00:11:15,910 --> 00:11:20,481 while the FBI launches a parallel criminal inquiry. 177 00:11:20,514 --> 00:11:22,349 JAMES KALLSTROM: You know, people think this is 178 00:11:22,383 --> 00:11:26,120 the exclusive jurisdiction of the NTSB. That's not correct. 179 00:11:26,153 --> 00:11:27,288 If it's a criminal matter 180 00:11:27,321 --> 00:11:29,323 we have to get out there right away. 181 00:11:29,423 --> 00:11:32,426 AL: We're used to a large area. 182 00:11:32,426 --> 00:11:35,529 They're used to a crime scene that they can tape off. 183 00:11:35,563 --> 00:11:40,100 Try taping off a couple miles worth of area out in the ocean. 184 00:11:40,134 --> 00:11:43,300 It's impossible to do. So they had to learn that things 185 00:11:43,310 --> 00:11:45,270 are handled a little bit differently. 186 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,200 NARRATOR: Both agencies are hoping for quick results. 187 00:11:50,340 --> 00:11:53,950 But TWA 800 will turn into one of the longest 188 00:11:53,950 --> 00:11:57,780 and most challenging investigations ever conducted. 189 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,460 An abandoned aircraft plant on Long Island 190 00:12:06,490 --> 00:12:09,660 becomes a massive hangar for thousands of pieces of aircraft 191 00:12:09,700 --> 00:12:14,570 debris being pulled from the ocean floor. 192 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,370 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Yeah. You can take that just down over there. 193 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,310 AL: It was a perfect spot for us to put every bit of wreckage 194 00:12:19,340 --> 00:12:26,080 we recovered. I mean there's piles of it. 195 00:12:26,110 --> 00:12:27,350 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Nice to see you. 196 00:12:27,380 --> 00:12:31,080 JAMES KALLSTROM: I just wish it was under better circumstances. 197 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:36,690 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: I think I should show you something. Come with me. 198 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:38,960 NARRATOR: Investigators have matched the seat numbers 199 00:12:38,990 --> 00:12:41,490 with the passenger and crew manifest. 200 00:12:41,530 --> 00:12:43,830 They're able to determine who sat where, 201 00:12:43,860 --> 00:12:47,630 including flight attendant Janet Christopher. 202 00:12:47,670 --> 00:12:49,300 JAMES KALLSTROM: Her and her husband were very close friends 203 00:12:49,340 --> 00:12:55,470 of my wife and I. And I happened to be in their wedding. 204 00:12:55,510 --> 00:12:58,810 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: This was almost certainly Janet's seat. 205 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,780 ♪ 206 00:13:03,780 --> 00:13:05,280 JAMES KALLSTROM: You look at a seat 207 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:09,020 and then you put someone that you care very much for 208 00:13:09,020 --> 00:13:12,160 in that seat. It's very emotional. 209 00:13:13,660 --> 00:13:16,730 NARRATOR: The FBI believes they may already have an explanation 210 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,430 for the disaster over Long Island. 211 00:13:19,430 --> 00:13:23,370 Three years earlier in 1993, terrorists drove a bomb 212 00:13:23,370 --> 00:13:26,370 into the World Trade Center. 213 00:13:26,370 --> 00:13:28,740 Just over a year before, Timothy McVeigh 214 00:13:28,780 --> 00:13:33,680 bombed the federal building in Oklahoma. 215 00:13:33,710 --> 00:13:36,550 Now, the mid-air explosion of TWA 800 216 00:13:36,580 --> 00:13:40,590 is also being linked to terrorism. 217 00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:43,690 AL: It was all over the news how people thought 218 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,260 they saw something going up to hit an aircraft. 219 00:13:48,300 --> 00:13:52,400 A lot of 'em thought they saw missiles. 220 00:13:52,430 --> 00:13:53,630 JAMES KALLSTROM: There were a lot of people 221 00:13:53,670 --> 00:13:57,070 that wanted to do us harm back in 1996, a lot, 222 00:13:57,100 --> 00:14:02,110 and the FBI and other people on the national security front 223 00:14:02,140 --> 00:14:05,610 believed it was an act of terrorism without question. 224 00:14:05,650 --> 00:14:07,080 JAMES KALLSTROM: I'm sure this was a bomb 225 00:14:07,110 --> 00:14:10,250 and that we'll find the evidence of that in this wreckage. 226 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:11,590 Just keep me posted. 227 00:14:11,620 --> 00:14:14,990 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: All right. We'll go through it. 228 00:14:15,020 --> 00:14:18,260 AL: Jim Kallstrom has a, a strong personality. 229 00:14:18,290 --> 00:14:19,430 JAMES KALLSTROM: Agent. 230 00:14:19,460 --> 00:14:22,900 AL: And even though he didn't say he's in charge 231 00:14:22,930 --> 00:14:25,170 you got the impression from him 232 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,000 that he was really running the show. 233 00:14:28,030 --> 00:14:29,570 JAMES KALLSTROM: Well, you know, I'd be lying to you 234 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:31,670 if I didn't tell you there was some professional tension, 235 00:14:31,710 --> 00:14:33,270 and there always is. 236 00:14:33,370 --> 00:14:35,710 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: All right. Let's get to it. 237 00:14:35,740 --> 00:14:39,810 BOB: We tried to keep an open mind as much as possible, 238 00:14:39,850 --> 00:14:44,120 and that would mean considering something like a missile 239 00:14:44,150 --> 00:14:50,460 until we had some, some honest proof that that did not occur. 240 00:14:50,490 --> 00:14:51,590 BOB [Archive]: Excuse us. 241 00:14:51,630 --> 00:14:53,630 NARRATOR: Seven days into the investigation, 242 00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:58,700 the ocean salvage team makes a major find -- the black boxes. 243 00:14:58,730 --> 00:15:02,440 AL: Recovering the CVR and the FDR is very important 244 00:15:02,470 --> 00:15:03,800 in every investigation. 245 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,270 The trouble is you never know what you're gonna get. 246 00:15:06,310 --> 00:15:08,280 BOB: We sent them immediately down to Washington, D.C., 247 00:15:08,310 --> 00:15:10,810 to be read out after we found them. 248 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,310 NARRATOR: Technicians are able to recover the data, 249 00:15:13,410 --> 00:15:16,280 but it gives investigators little to go on. 250 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:17,720 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: TWA... 251 00:15:17,750 --> 00:15:21,890 NARRATOR: They hear no cockpit alarms or signs of panic from the crew. 252 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,190 BOB: Normal conversations in the cockpit. 253 00:15:24,220 --> 00:15:27,360 Normal readouts on, on the flight data recorder 254 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,360 up until the point where a sharp noise was heard 255 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:32,800 and then nothing after that. 256 00:15:39,370 --> 00:15:42,380 NARRATOR: NTSB investigators spend weeks carefully searching 257 00:15:42,380 --> 00:15:47,110 for any sign of foul play. 258 00:15:47,150 --> 00:15:49,150 They study wreckage from almost every part 259 00:15:49,180 --> 00:15:52,590 of the 230-foot long plane. 260 00:15:52,620 --> 00:15:55,390 AL: Pretty much the whole time we were there we were 261 00:15:55,390 --> 00:15:58,660 looking for something that would support 262 00:15:58,690 --> 00:16:03,230 any kind of missile or bomb. 263 00:16:03,260 --> 00:16:08,400 NARRATOR: They find no signs of an explosive device. 264 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:14,110 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: No pitting. No cratering. Nothing. 265 00:16:14,140 --> 00:16:17,410 JAMES WILDEY: We didn't find the, uh, soot patterns 266 00:16:17,410 --> 00:16:19,710 in a radiating pattern that might have been from a bomb. 267 00:16:19,750 --> 00:16:21,820 We didn't find this micro-cratering 268 00:16:21,850 --> 00:16:26,850 where a hot piece of metal are impacting other pieces of metal. 269 00:16:26,890 --> 00:16:29,490 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: It wasn't a bomb. 270 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:35,230 JAMES WILDEY: No piece had any evidence of a bomb at all. 271 00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:38,270 NARRATOR: Investigators know the plane exploded in midair, 272 00:16:38,370 --> 00:16:41,270 but they are convinced this was not a terrorist act. 273 00:16:41,370 --> 00:16:42,940 JAMES WILDEY: In a way it made the Safety Board's job 274 00:16:42,970 --> 00:16:45,770 much more difficult because we had to now determine 275 00:16:45,810 --> 00:16:47,740 what happened if there was no bomb or missile 276 00:16:47,770 --> 00:16:50,480 that caused the airplane to come down. 277 00:16:50,510 --> 00:16:52,950 NARRATOR: They hope an analysis of the debris field 278 00:16:52,980 --> 00:16:55,380 can provide some answers. 279 00:16:55,420 --> 00:16:58,490 BOB: In an in-flight breakup whatever comes off first 280 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,160 may have something to do with the origin of the problem. 281 00:17:02,190 --> 00:17:05,590 They divide the ocean crash site into three zones. 282 00:17:05,630 --> 00:17:07,490 The Red Zone, nearest the airport, 283 00:17:07,530 --> 00:17:10,500 is where the first pieces of wreckage hit the water. 284 00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:12,700 The Yellow Zone is where the front third of the airplane 285 00:17:12,730 --> 00:17:18,310 landed. The Green Zone contains everything else. 286 00:17:18,410 --> 00:17:21,640 Investigators scour the debris from the Red Zone. 287 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:26,650 JAMES WILDEY: We had to take these pieces 288 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,080 and develop a sequence that showed that these pieces 289 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:31,620 would have been the first ones that came off. 290 00:17:31,650 --> 00:17:37,490 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: What is this thing? Can we get a closer look at this? 291 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,730 BOB: The wreckage recovery started to teach us some things. 292 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,260 NARRATOR: They check Boeing schematics to try to identify 293 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:50,640 exactly what part of the plane they're looking at. 294 00:17:50,670 --> 00:17:54,910 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Huh. A keel beam from 295 00:17:54,940 --> 00:17:57,080 the center wing section of the plane. 296 00:17:57,110 --> 00:17:58,380 JAMES WILDEY: Well the keel beam runs underneath 297 00:17:58,380 --> 00:18:01,280 the wing center section fuel tank and back through 298 00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:05,090 the landing gear compartment. 299 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:07,250 NARRATOR: They pour through other Red Zone wreckage 300 00:18:07,290 --> 00:18:11,660 feeling that they may be on the trail of a breakthrough. 301 00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:13,630 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Give me a hand with this. 302 00:18:13,660 --> 00:18:17,960 NARRATOR: They soon find pieces with telltale scorch marks. 303 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,700 ROBERT: It had actual heat damage 304 00:18:20,730 --> 00:18:24,540 that had compressed it and wrinkled it. 305 00:18:24,570 --> 00:18:28,040 NARRATOR: The scorch marks and damage point to an explosion. 306 00:18:28,070 --> 00:18:32,610 Now they must determine where it came from. 307 00:18:32,650 --> 00:18:40,120 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: A piece of span-wise beam from the center wing fuel tank. 308 00:18:40,150 --> 00:18:43,360 In the same place we found the keel beam. 309 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:45,190 NARRATOR: It's a discovery that changes the direction 310 00:18:45,230 --> 00:18:50,230 of the entire investigation. 311 00:18:50,260 --> 00:18:52,930 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: I think this could be it. 312 00:18:52,970 --> 00:18:58,210 The explosion must have started somewhere inside the fuel tank. 313 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,270 ROBERT: Our first pieces came from inside 314 00:19:00,370 --> 00:19:03,780 of the center wing fuel tank, and I mean right in 315 00:19:03,810 --> 00:19:05,650 the heart of it. 316 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:06,550 [Explosion] 317 00:19:06,580 --> 00:19:07,710 [Gasp] 318 00:19:07,750 --> 00:19:09,380 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Ollie! 319 00:19:09,380 --> 00:19:13,290 ♪ 320 00:19:13,390 --> 00:19:16,660 NARRATOR: The NTSB is certain they're making progress. 321 00:19:16,690 --> 00:19:20,430 But five weeks into their investigation, 322 00:19:20,460 --> 00:19:24,760 the FBI makes a shocking announcement. 323 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,030 JAMES KALLSTROM (Archive): As a result of scientific analysis conducted 324 00:19:27,070 --> 00:19:31,640 by federal examiners, microscopic explosive traces of 325 00:19:31,670 --> 00:19:37,640 unknown origin have been found relating to TWA Flight 800. 326 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,210 ROBERT: One of our problems right from the beginning of this 327 00:19:40,250 --> 00:19:44,580 is that the FBI and others didn't have the experience 328 00:19:44,620 --> 00:19:47,350 that we had and they were thinking bombs, missiles 329 00:19:47,350 --> 00:19:50,360 and all sorts of other bad things. 330 00:19:50,390 --> 00:19:52,760 NARRATOR: The statement directly contradicts the evidence 331 00:19:52,790 --> 00:19:55,660 found by the NTSB. 332 00:19:55,700 --> 00:19:58,500 JAMES WILDEY: I knew for a fact that this was not caused 333 00:19:58,530 --> 00:20:00,530 by a bomb on the airplane. 334 00:20:00,570 --> 00:20:06,040 NARRATOR: The FBI tests show traces of RDX and PETN, 335 00:20:06,070 --> 00:20:10,580 chemicals used to make plastic explosives, 336 00:20:10,610 --> 00:20:13,950 the same chemicals used in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 337 00:20:13,980 --> 00:20:15,980 eight years earlier. 338 00:20:16,020 --> 00:20:20,920 For the FBI, the evidence points in just one direction. 339 00:20:20,950 --> 00:20:23,190 JAMES KALLSTROM: You know, we represent the American people, 340 00:20:23,220 --> 00:20:25,490 you know, so we don't speculate. 341 00:20:25,530 --> 00:20:27,890 We try not to speculate about it but, yes, 342 00:20:27,930 --> 00:20:28,800 my gut said it was an act of terrorism. 343 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,300 [Screaming] 344 00:20:35,330 --> 00:20:37,740 JAMES KALLSTROM (Archive): There's a chance, in our view a good chance, 345 00:20:37,770 --> 00:20:39,270 but there's a chance this is a criminal act. 346 00:20:39,310 --> 00:20:42,610 This is an act of terrorism. 347 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,810 NARRATOR: The NTSB employs the nation's best 348 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:46,750 air crash investigators. 349 00:20:46,780 --> 00:20:50,950 Suddenly, it seems their work is in question. 350 00:20:50,980 --> 00:20:55,690 AL: My thoughts about the fact that the criminal aspect 351 00:20:55,720 --> 00:21:03,130 kept coming up over and over, it was frustrating. 352 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,130 NARRATOR: With their reputation on the line, 353 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,330 they decide to attempt something 354 00:21:06,370 --> 00:21:10,640 that has never been done before. 355 00:21:10,670 --> 00:21:14,710 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: We're gonna put all this back together again. 356 00:21:14,740 --> 00:21:19,850 We're gonna rebuild the entire plane. 357 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,720 NARRATOR: They hope to reconstruct the entire downed 747 358 00:21:23,750 --> 00:21:27,050 piece by shattered piece. 359 00:21:27,090 --> 00:21:29,420 It may be the only way to prove to the world 360 00:21:29,460 --> 00:21:33,730 that TWA 800 suffered no bomb damage anywhere. 361 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:38,400 It will be a Herculean task. 362 00:21:38,430 --> 00:21:40,830 JAMES WILDEY: There's a picture taken from above in the hangar 363 00:21:40,870 --> 00:21:42,370 of all these pieces laid out on the floor, 364 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,000 and there are literally tens of thousands of them, 365 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:50,710 and it really looks like an impossible job. 366 00:21:50,740 --> 00:21:54,410 NARRATOR: NTSB investigators believe it was an exploding fuel tank 367 00:21:54,450 --> 00:21:57,020 that took down TWA 800. 368 00:21:57,020 --> 00:22:01,290 But they still don't know what sparked the blast. 369 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:07,230 AL: If you find evidence of an explosion in a fuel tank, 370 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:11,830 you have to look for what could cause an explosion to start 371 00:22:11,860 --> 00:22:20,570 in there and you work backwards. 372 00:22:20,610 --> 00:22:22,580 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: We need to prove three things: 373 00:22:22,610 --> 00:22:25,880 The fuel was flammable, the explosion has to be 374 00:22:25,910 --> 00:22:29,980 powerful enough to rupture the tank and, finally, 375 00:22:29,980 --> 00:22:33,150 something created the spark to ignite the fuel. 376 00:22:33,190 --> 00:22:37,790 Let's start with the first one: Flammability. 377 00:22:37,820 --> 00:22:39,090 ♪ 378 00:22:39,130 --> 00:22:42,160 NARRATOR: Jet fuel in its liquid form is not flammable, 379 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,630 but when heated the fuel starts to vaporize. 380 00:22:46,670 --> 00:22:49,700 When combined with oxygen already present in the tank, 381 00:22:49,740 --> 00:22:55,480 this vapor can become highly flammable. 382 00:22:55,510 --> 00:23:02,480 At the altitude where TWA 800 exploded, almost 14,000 feet, 383 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,320 jet fuel needs to reach 96 degrees Fahrenheit 384 00:23:05,350 --> 00:23:08,520 before it can ignite. 385 00:23:08,550 --> 00:23:10,060 There's just one problem. 386 00:23:12,230 --> 00:23:13,130 BOB: The manufacturer said, well, 387 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:16,030 it never gets that hot in there. 388 00:23:16,060 --> 00:23:18,300 NARRATOR: According to Boeing, the fuel tanks housed 389 00:23:18,330 --> 00:23:20,500 inside the wings would never get hot enough 390 00:23:20,530 --> 00:23:25,470 for the fuel to vaporize. 391 00:23:25,510 --> 00:23:30,240 On the day of the fatal flight, the temperature at JFK Airport 392 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,510 hit 87 degrees Fahrenheit, well below the flashpoint 393 00:23:33,550 --> 00:23:41,420 for jet fuel. The NTSB's theory may be wrong. 394 00:23:41,450 --> 00:23:45,390 Investigators examine the design schematics of the aircraft. 395 00:23:45,420 --> 00:23:50,830 An intriguing detail catches their attention. 396 00:23:50,860 --> 00:23:53,830 AL: I remember learning that the placement of 397 00:23:53,870 --> 00:23:57,470 the air conditioning units were underneath the center tank, 398 00:23:57,500 --> 00:24:00,770 and those generate a fair amount of heat. 399 00:24:00,810 --> 00:24:03,410 BOB: They cool the aircraft, but the packs themselves 400 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,350 get quite hot during that procedure. 401 00:24:06,380 --> 00:24:09,680 NARRATOR: On TWA 800, the air conditioning units 402 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,350 were working extra hard to keep the cabin cool 403 00:24:12,390 --> 00:24:15,020 on a hot evening. 404 00:24:15,020 --> 00:24:16,690 BOB: The air conditioning packs underneath 405 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,630 the center wing fuel tank had been operating for I believe 406 00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:22,460 several hours prior to takeoff. 407 00:24:22,500 --> 00:24:24,030 AL: And we all looked at each other and thought, 408 00:24:24,060 --> 00:24:30,240 boy, is that design correct? 409 00:24:30,270 --> 00:24:31,970 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: I wonder. 410 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:33,710 NARRATOR: Could heat from the units have boosted 411 00:24:33,740 --> 00:24:41,280 the temperature inside the tanks to a dangerously high level? 412 00:24:41,310 --> 00:24:42,980 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: There's only one way to find out. 413 00:24:49,620 --> 00:24:50,660 Air conditioning on. 414 00:24:55,130 --> 00:24:59,000 AL: We had to prove to ourselves that the temperature 415 00:24:59,030 --> 00:25:03,400 inside the tank would be flammable, 416 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,870 because if we couldn't prove that, how was it gonna explode? 417 00:25:07,910 --> 00:25:09,710 BOB: The only way we were going to determine 418 00:25:09,740 --> 00:25:12,310 the actual conditions inside the fuel tank 419 00:25:12,350 --> 00:25:15,010 was by performing a flight test. 420 00:25:15,050 --> 00:25:17,720 NARRATOR: They decide to reproduce the exact conditions 421 00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:21,050 of the accident flight. 422 00:25:21,090 --> 00:25:23,520 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: All right. Let's start it up. 423 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,260 NARRATOR: The same type of plane, the same fuel load and, 424 00:25:27,290 --> 00:25:32,000 most importantly, exactly the same air conditioning units. 425 00:25:32,030 --> 00:25:33,800 BOB: We preheated the center wing tank fuel 426 00:25:33,830 --> 00:25:37,400 by running the packs for hours. 427 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:41,340 Boeing engineers installed, oh gosh, it must have been two 428 00:25:41,370 --> 00:25:44,680 or three dozen different types of sensors inside the tank, 429 00:25:44,710 --> 00:25:53,890 probes to measure temperature, pressure, vibration. 430 00:25:53,990 --> 00:25:57,260 NARRATOR: It's a risky undertaking, filled with uncertainties. 431 00:25:57,290 --> 00:26:04,800 ♪ 432 00:26:04,830 --> 00:26:06,670 BOB: We knew that one of the requirements 433 00:26:06,700 --> 00:26:08,870 to have a fuel air explosion inside the tank 434 00:26:08,900 --> 00:26:11,040 would be a high temperature, but we didn't know 435 00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:17,010 how high the temperature got inside a tank. 436 00:26:17,010 --> 00:26:22,010 NARRATOR: The test flight reaches the same altitude as TWA 800. 437 00:26:22,010 --> 00:26:24,280 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Holy crow. 438 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,020 NARRATOR: The temperature readings are terrifying. 439 00:26:28,050 --> 00:26:29,590 ROBERT: These air conditioner packs were getting 440 00:26:29,620 --> 00:26:32,330 up to 350 degrees. 441 00:26:32,360 --> 00:26:35,160 350 degrees is about what you turn your oven to 442 00:26:35,190 --> 00:26:38,430 to bake a chicken. 443 00:26:38,460 --> 00:26:41,270 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: This is off the charts. 444 00:26:41,300 --> 00:26:45,710 NARRATOR: The temperature in the tank hits 127 Fahrenheit, 445 00:26:45,740 --> 00:26:49,810 30 degrees above the flashpoint. 446 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,850 BOB: It was a bit disconcerting because we were in a sense in 447 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,480 an aircraft that was identical to the accident flight. 448 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,850 Now if you're gonna ask me whether I would do it again 449 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:02,220 I'd probably say no. 450 00:27:02,260 --> 00:27:06,460 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Okay. Let's get back down to the ground. 451 00:27:06,490 --> 00:27:08,690 NARRATOR: Investigators are now certain the fuel 452 00:27:08,730 --> 00:27:14,570 in the tanks of TWA 800 did become flammable. 453 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,170 But before they can take the next step 454 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:20,570 in their investigation, another media firestorm hits. 455 00:27:20,610 --> 00:27:25,780 PIERRE (Archive): 154 people living in the Long Island area 456 00:27:25,810 --> 00:27:28,350 where the missile testing was going on 457 00:27:28,380 --> 00:27:32,650 saw one or two missiles rising in the air, 458 00:27:32,690 --> 00:27:36,660 and a number of them saw an explosion in the air. 459 00:27:36,690 --> 00:27:39,330 NARRATOR: President John F. Kennedy's former press secretary, 460 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:47,430 Pierre Salinger, claims he has proof that a missile hit TWA 800 461 00:27:47,470 --> 00:27:50,400 and that the missile was fired by the U.S. Navy. 462 00:27:52,670 --> 00:27:54,940 ♪ 463 00:27:54,970 --> 00:27:58,340 PIERRE (Archive): The missile fired down TWA 800. 464 00:27:58,380 --> 00:27:59,980 NARRATOR: Journalist Pierre Salinger releases 465 00:28:00,010 --> 00:28:03,150 unverified radar images showing a foreign object 466 00:28:03,180 --> 00:28:07,520 in the night sky. 467 00:28:07,550 --> 00:28:10,860 He claims the USS Normandy, a guided missile cruiser, 468 00:28:10,890 --> 00:28:15,600 accidentally targeted the 747. 469 00:28:15,630 --> 00:28:18,530 No matter how far-fetched the claim may seem, 470 00:28:18,570 --> 00:28:21,170 the FBI must investigate. 471 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:22,570 JAMES KALLSTROM: We had to look at the military 472 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:27,310 because the military has assets to shoot down aircraft. 473 00:28:27,340 --> 00:28:29,380 As the head of the office, I wouldn't take anything 474 00:28:29,410 --> 00:28:31,850 off that board till someone could prove to me that 475 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:36,620 that wasn't the cause, or couldn't have been the cause. 476 00:28:36,650 --> 00:28:40,420 NARRATOR: While the FBI examines Salinger's extraordinary claim, 477 00:28:40,450 --> 00:28:45,060 NTSB investigators continue reconstructing the downed plane. 478 00:28:45,090 --> 00:28:46,760 They hope the task will ultimately 479 00:28:46,790 --> 00:28:52,170 put the missile theory to rest. 480 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,140 At the same time, they work to prove their own theory, 481 00:28:55,170 --> 00:28:57,800 that the explosion started in the tank. 482 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,870 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Okay. So we've proved flammability. 483 00:29:00,910 --> 00:29:04,640 Now for the second challenge: Can the tank rupture? 484 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,350 ROBERT: One of the contentions from the industry 485 00:29:07,380 --> 00:29:12,150 was that if we had an explosion in the fuel tank 486 00:29:12,190 --> 00:29:15,520 the airplane was so strong it would contain it. 487 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:16,720 It wouldn't be a problem. 488 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:21,660 We wouldn't structurally fail the fuel tank or the fuselage. 489 00:29:21,690 --> 00:29:23,960 NARRATOR: According to Boeing, the tank can withstand 490 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,670 up to 25 pounds per square inch of pressure. 491 00:29:27,670 --> 00:29:30,570 Investigators need to know if the TWA blast 492 00:29:30,670 --> 00:29:33,070 could have exceeded those limits. 493 00:29:33,110 --> 00:29:37,540 They create a scale model of the center wing fuel tank. 494 00:29:37,580 --> 00:29:40,680 BOB: We did some what we call quarter scale testing 495 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:42,180 of different fuel/air mixtures. 496 00:29:42,220 --> 00:29:46,390 We built a replica 1/4th of the size of the fuel tank 497 00:29:46,420 --> 00:29:49,190 with baffles and everything in it like the fuel tank. 498 00:29:49,220 --> 00:29:52,630 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Gentlemen. Levels good? 499 00:29:52,630 --> 00:29:55,300 NARRATOR: They fill the tank with the same ratio of jet fuel 500 00:29:55,330 --> 00:30:00,270 as on TWA 800. Then they heat it to the same temperature. 501 00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:14,180 ♪ 502 00:30:14,210 --> 00:30:16,380 [Explosion] 503 00:30:19,890 --> 00:30:22,460 The results are clear. 504 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:24,330 JAMES WILDEY: The study showed that if the fuel/air 505 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,990 vapor mixture was ignited that it could generate 506 00:30:27,030 --> 00:30:30,260 more than 50 pounds of force per square inch. 507 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:32,630 NARRATOR: It creates double the amount of explosive force 508 00:30:32,670 --> 00:30:35,940 the tank was designed to withstand. 509 00:30:35,970 --> 00:30:38,040 BOB: The tank simply wasn't strong enough 510 00:30:38,070 --> 00:30:41,610 to contain the full scale of this explosion. 511 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,210 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Okay. I think this tells us what we need to know. 512 00:30:45,250 --> 00:30:48,450 NARRATOR: NTSB investigators need one last critical element 513 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,690 of proof before they can be absolutely certain about 514 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:58,790 what caused one of the worst air disasters in U.S. history. 515 00:30:58,830 --> 00:31:02,700 BOB: Once we determined that the fuel tank became hot enough 516 00:31:02,730 --> 00:31:04,870 to sustain a flame 517 00:31:04,900 --> 00:31:08,200 and once we determined that the fuel tank itself 518 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:11,240 was not strong enough to contain an explosion 519 00:31:11,270 --> 00:31:15,540 we needed to try to figure out an ignition source. 520 00:31:15,540 --> 00:31:19,380 NARRATOR: While the NTSB team is confident they're on the right track, 521 00:31:19,410 --> 00:31:22,750 the FBI is seeing signs that the Navy missile theory 522 00:31:22,780 --> 00:31:25,350 won't hold up. 523 00:31:25,390 --> 00:31:27,120 JAMES KALLSTROM: You know, one of the first things I did 524 00:31:27,150 --> 00:31:30,830 in talking to the Pentagon was to ask them to give me 525 00:31:30,860 --> 00:31:33,330 all military assets. 526 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:38,170 JAMES KALLSTROM: So there's no way anything was fired from that ship. 527 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:42,570 That's helpful. Thank you. 528 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,770 JAMES KALLSTROM: We interviewed the entire crew. 529 00:31:44,810 --> 00:31:49,140 We looked at all their ordinance that was on the ship that day 530 00:31:49,180 --> 00:31:52,850 and of course we also found out that TWA Flight 800 531 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:59,920 was not in the range of the USS Normandy, so case closed. 532 00:31:59,950 --> 00:32:02,190 NARRATOR: Though Pierre Salinger's controversial theory 533 00:32:02,220 --> 00:32:05,990 is now discredited, it continues to gain traction in the media 534 00:32:06,030 --> 00:32:08,930 and among the general public. 535 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,530 MALE [Archive]: The Navy is a suspect. The Navy is a suspect. 536 00:32:12,530 --> 00:32:16,640 Why should they be involved in the investigation? 537 00:32:16,670 --> 00:32:19,710 NARRATOR: The monumental reconstruction of TWA 800 538 00:32:19,740 --> 00:32:25,050 might be the only way to put all the rumors to rest. 539 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,420 But as the complex crash investigation drags on, 540 00:32:28,450 --> 00:32:30,820 there are growing fears that another disaster 541 00:32:30,850 --> 00:32:33,990 could be just around the corner. 542 00:32:34,020 --> 00:32:35,590 BOB: It became kind of obvious to most of us 543 00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:38,960 that the fuel tank had exploded, 544 00:32:38,990 --> 00:32:44,300 and that, I think, gave us a sense of urgency because 545 00:32:44,330 --> 00:32:47,270 if it happened one time it could happen again. 546 00:32:47,300 --> 00:32:51,370 NARRATOR: Passengers flying on 747s every hour of every day 547 00:32:51,410 --> 00:32:51,710 may be in danger. 548 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,080 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Okay. We've proven the first two. 549 00:32:57,110 --> 00:33:00,110 Now we're at the final, most important condition. 550 00:33:00,150 --> 00:33:03,180 AL: The final question that we had to answer was: 551 00:33:03,220 --> 00:33:07,590 What caused the spark? We knew it was flammable. 552 00:33:07,620 --> 00:33:10,260 We knew the tank was destroyed, 553 00:33:10,290 --> 00:33:14,230 but we didn't know where the spark started. 554 00:33:14,260 --> 00:33:17,370 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Without a spark, there wouldn't be 555 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,630 an explosion in the first place. 556 00:33:19,670 --> 00:33:21,270 ♪ 557 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:24,010 ROBERT: You rule items out until you're left with 558 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,810 some core potential causes to look at. 559 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,540 It's kind of the Sherlock Holmes approach. 560 00:33:29,580 --> 00:33:32,010 We spent months and months 561 00:33:32,050 --> 00:33:35,250 eliminating potential ignition sources. 562 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:37,350 We looked at whether something may have come in 563 00:33:37,390 --> 00:33:41,760 through the vent system such as a stroke of lightning. 564 00:33:41,790 --> 00:33:44,590 BOB: Some folks thought that perhaps a meteorite 565 00:33:44,630 --> 00:33:48,660 had struck the aircraft. 566 00:33:48,700 --> 00:33:50,770 NARRATOR: More than a year after the crash, 567 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,370 investigators still don't know what could have caused 568 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:58,770 a spark in the center wing fuel tank. 569 00:33:58,770 --> 00:34:00,440 In desperation, they turn to something 570 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:03,780 they thought was a dead end. 571 00:34:03,810 --> 00:34:12,650 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: How about the CVR? Let's go back to the CVR. 572 00:34:12,690 --> 00:34:16,290 ♪ 573 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:17,930 NARRATOR: When investigators first listened to 574 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:20,330 the cockpit recording, they didn't hear anything 575 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:24,200 that might explain the explosion. 576 00:34:24,230 --> 00:34:27,340 They decide to listen to it again. 577 00:34:27,370 --> 00:34:31,810 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Maybe we've missed something. Everybody listen closely. 578 00:34:31,810 --> 00:34:34,110 Okay. Play it. 579 00:34:34,140 --> 00:34:37,150 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: TWA 800, amend the altitude. 580 00:34:37,180 --> 00:34:41,050 Maintain 1-3,000, 13 thousand for now. 581 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:45,520 CAPT. SNYDER: TWA 800, okay. Stop climb at one-three thousand. 582 00:34:45,550 --> 00:34:49,360 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Stop climb one-three thousand. 583 00:34:49,390 --> 00:34:54,900 AL: It was a pretty nonchalant takeoff and climb. 584 00:34:54,930 --> 00:35:00,370 FE. KRICK: Fuel one-seven-nine. Estimated time of arrival 6:28 am. 585 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,100 AL: And the only thing that was a little bit different 586 00:35:03,140 --> 00:35:05,370 was one of the crew members mentioned 587 00:35:05,410 --> 00:35:09,640 that the fuel flow indicator was erratic. 588 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:13,620 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Look at that crazy fuel flow indicator there on number four. 589 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:18,920 AL: And he only mentioned it once and then 590 00:35:18,950 --> 00:35:24,790 it apparently calmed down and they kept climbing. 591 00:35:24,790 --> 00:35:27,530 ROBERT: The airplane has a half dozen electrical generators 592 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:31,370 and it has all sorts of fans and motors and pumps 593 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:33,430 that use this electricity. 594 00:35:33,470 --> 00:35:38,410 The background noise captured by the cockpit voice recorder 595 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,110 is kind of like a static hum. 596 00:35:46,810 --> 00:35:51,750 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Wait. Stop. Play that back. 597 00:35:58,430 --> 00:36:00,900 Let me see that waveform. Blow it up. 598 00:36:04,130 --> 00:36:08,540 ROBERT: In the last one second of the flight 599 00:36:08,570 --> 00:36:12,470 before the explosion, we had two dropouts 600 00:36:12,510 --> 00:36:14,810 in that background noise, that background hum on the 601 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:22,280 CVR recording. That electrical noise had gone somewhere. 602 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:26,650 NARRATOR: Investigators are on the verge of a major discovery. 603 00:36:26,690 --> 00:36:31,690 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: There was a short circuit somewhere in the plane's wiring. 604 00:36:31,790 --> 00:36:33,960 NARRATOR: A short circuit is an abnormal connection 605 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:35,800 between points of an electrical circuit 606 00:36:35,830 --> 00:36:38,830 where current is not supposed to flow. 607 00:36:38,870 --> 00:36:41,570 The dropout on the CVR can only be explained 608 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:44,710 by this type of fault. 609 00:36:44,810 --> 00:36:47,810 ROBERT: We knew we had a short circuit somewhere. 610 00:36:47,810 --> 00:36:50,580 What we did not know is where the energy came from 611 00:36:50,610 --> 00:36:53,080 specifically. 612 00:36:53,110 --> 00:36:55,120 NARRATOR: They begin the enormous task of examining 613 00:36:55,150 --> 00:36:59,520 all of the 747's wiring. 614 00:36:59,550 --> 00:37:04,060 ROBERT: We had 180 miles of wire to work with. 615 00:37:04,090 --> 00:37:07,260 We had wire all over that hangar. 616 00:37:07,300 --> 00:37:09,930 NARRATOR: After hours of examining the plane's wiring, 617 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:15,300 investigators begin to notice a disturbing pattern. 618 00:37:15,340 --> 00:37:18,240 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: The condition of these wires is abysmal. 619 00:37:18,270 --> 00:37:22,940 ROBERT: We had cracks in the insulation. We had chafes. 620 00:37:22,980 --> 00:37:25,410 AL: When it was discovered that these wires were brittle 621 00:37:25,450 --> 00:37:29,020 and falling apart basically and shouldn't have been, 622 00:37:29,050 --> 00:37:31,790 that was very important. 623 00:37:31,790 --> 00:37:35,120 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Let's see the fuel indicator system. 624 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,260 NARRATOR: They check wiring schematics to see where 625 00:37:37,290 --> 00:37:40,700 the wires for various aircraft systems are routed, 626 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,500 including the fuel system. 627 00:37:44,530 --> 00:37:46,500 ROBERT: The fuel quantity indicating system 628 00:37:46,530 --> 00:37:49,840 has an extensive amount of wiring in the fuel tanks. 629 00:37:49,870 --> 00:37:55,380 ♪ 630 00:37:55,410 --> 00:37:57,080 NARRATOR: Following the wiring, investigators 631 00:37:57,110 --> 00:37:58,980 make a stunning discovery. 632 00:38:03,380 --> 00:38:04,390 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: That's crazy. 633 00:38:06,750 --> 00:38:08,590 NARRATOR: The discovery of bundled wires 634 00:38:08,620 --> 00:38:11,790 in a crumbling electrical system is a major step 635 00:38:11,830 --> 00:38:14,500 in the NTSB's search for a deadly spark. 636 00:38:14,530 --> 00:38:17,300 ROBERT: In going to the cockpit, the fuel quantity wiring 637 00:38:17,330 --> 00:38:21,670 is tied into bundles with wiring that go to the aircraft lights 638 00:38:21,770 --> 00:38:24,610 and all sorts of other aircraft systems. 639 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,310 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Those wires carry a ton of energy. 640 00:38:27,340 --> 00:38:32,310 ROBERT: These cabin light wires, they were up to 350 volts peak, 641 00:38:32,350 --> 00:38:34,680 and they were co-routed with these five volt 642 00:38:34,780 --> 00:38:39,120 DC low power wires that went to the fuel quantity probes 643 00:38:39,150 --> 00:38:40,790 in the fuel tank. 644 00:38:40,790 --> 00:38:45,360 AL: If you have cross currents into these wires 645 00:38:45,390 --> 00:38:51,130 it sets you up for something drastic could easily happen. 646 00:38:51,170 --> 00:38:54,040 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: This was certainly a short circuit. 647 00:38:54,070 --> 00:38:56,740 ROBERT: It was more than enough to create a short circuit 648 00:38:56,740 --> 00:39:01,280 that would go into the fuel tank and ignite the vapors. 649 00:39:01,310 --> 00:39:05,510 NTSB INVESTIGATOR: And now we have all the conditions 650 00:39:05,550 --> 00:39:08,850 for a fuel tank explosion. 651 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:12,320 NARRATOR: The full sequence of events is now clear. 652 00:39:12,350 --> 00:39:15,090 While idling at the gate for two and a half hours, 653 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:17,060 the air conditioning system heats the fuel 654 00:39:17,090 --> 00:39:20,600 in the center wing tank. 655 00:39:20,630 --> 00:39:23,530 The liquid fuel turns to vapor, its temperature rising 656 00:39:23,570 --> 00:39:29,470 well above the 96-degree ignition point. 657 00:39:29,500 --> 00:39:31,140 The flammable fuel and air mixture 658 00:39:31,170 --> 00:39:37,850 is a disaster waiting to happen. All it needs is a spark. 659 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,350 In the plane's aging electrical system, 660 00:39:40,380 --> 00:39:45,190 high voltage wires are bundled with low voltage ones. 661 00:39:45,220 --> 00:39:49,360 Some are so worn they can short circuit. 662 00:39:49,390 --> 00:39:53,330 High voltage surges travel where they were never designed to go. 663 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:58,300 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Look at that crazy fuel flow indicator there on number four. 664 00:39:58,330 --> 00:40:00,540 NARRATOR: In the blink of an eye, a deadly spark 665 00:40:00,570 --> 00:40:04,570 reaches the fuel probe inside the center wing tank. 666 00:40:04,610 --> 00:40:05,910 AL: And then it blew up. 667 00:40:05,940 --> 00:40:07,880 [Explosion] 668 00:40:09,210 --> 00:40:11,250 CAPT. KEVORKIAN: Talk to me! What do you have for us? 669 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:20,760 ♪ 670 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,930 [Screaming] 671 00:40:29,660 --> 00:40:33,770 NARRATOR: The NTSB's explosion theory is now rock solid, 672 00:40:33,770 --> 00:40:36,910 and their ambitious reconstruction of TWA 800 673 00:40:36,940 --> 00:40:38,370 is finally complete. 674 00:40:38,410 --> 00:40:42,310 ♪ 675 00:40:42,340 --> 00:40:44,150 BOB: There were thousands and thousands of parts 676 00:40:44,180 --> 00:40:46,550 on this very sturdy structure. 677 00:40:46,580 --> 00:40:52,420 It was an amazing thing for us to see. 678 00:40:52,450 --> 00:40:55,320 JAMES WILDEY: I was really pretty proud of the definitive nature 679 00:40:55,360 --> 00:40:56,990 in which we were able to show where 680 00:40:57,030 --> 00:41:00,730 the airplane break-up began. 681 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:03,770 NARRATOR: The FBI finally agrees with the NTSB 682 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:06,170 on what happened to TWA 800. 683 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:10,870 ♪ 684 00:41:10,910 --> 00:41:12,170 JAMES KALLSTROM: It brought us to the conclusion 685 00:41:12,210 --> 00:41:16,140 the center fuel tank blew up, which was a huge finding, 686 00:41:16,180 --> 00:41:19,080 and we were very, very confident and to a very high level 687 00:41:19,110 --> 00:41:20,350 that that was true. 688 00:41:20,380 --> 00:41:25,950 ♪ 689 00:41:25,990 --> 00:41:27,760 AL: People have said that the FBI 690 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:31,090 should have pulled out sooner, but it's their business. 691 00:41:31,130 --> 00:41:35,630 They, they can do what they want. They have guns, so... 692 00:41:35,660 --> 00:41:38,770 It was a nice feeling when they eventually said, 693 00:41:38,770 --> 00:41:40,030 you guys were right. 694 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,380 NARRATOR: After more than four years of investigation, 695 00:41:48,410 --> 00:41:51,380 the NTSB recommends in its official report 696 00:41:51,410 --> 00:41:55,050 that all Boeing 747s undergo a review and repair 697 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:56,480 of older wiring. 698 00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:04,060 Significant design modifications are also advised, including 699 00:42:04,090 --> 00:42:06,930 the addition of insulation between the fuel tanks 700 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:12,030 and the air conditioning system. 701 00:42:12,070 --> 00:42:13,970 Though investigators have found the cause 702 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:18,470 of the TWA 800 disaster, one question lingers. 703 00:42:18,510 --> 00:42:22,180 How did bomb residue get on the wreckage? 704 00:42:22,210 --> 00:42:25,810 BOB: We think that the residue probably was placed on there 705 00:42:25,850 --> 00:42:27,480 during the wreckage recovery. 706 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:29,480 A lot of military folks were out helping us. 707 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,220 Perhaps that residue came off boots or clothing 708 00:42:33,250 --> 00:42:37,890 or something like that, and eventually the FBI agreed. 709 00:42:37,930 --> 00:42:40,090 NARRATOR: Investigators also believe that witnesses 710 00:42:40,130 --> 00:42:42,060 who thought they saw a missile 711 00:42:42,100 --> 00:42:45,370 were actually seeing the flaming remains of the plane 712 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:47,140 curling skyward. 713 00:42:47,170 --> 00:42:49,570 JAMES KALLSTROM: The fuel in the, in the wings still kept 714 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:51,240 the engines going for some time. 715 00:42:51,270 --> 00:42:53,910 So they did see things going up but they were looking at 716 00:42:53,940 --> 00:42:58,880 TWA coming apart. 717 00:42:58,910 --> 00:43:01,780 ROBERT: The conspiracy type people were still out there 718 00:43:01,820 --> 00:43:05,620 saying we were wrong. We knew we were right. 719 00:43:05,650 --> 00:43:08,990 And I got tired of arguing with people 720 00:43:09,020 --> 00:43:11,360 who had their minds made up. 721 00:43:11,390 --> 00:43:14,600 So I just turned away from TWA and didn't talk about it 722 00:43:14,630 --> 00:43:16,560 for a long time. 723 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:23,400 AL: TWA 800 was the most complex, hardest investigation 724 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:26,170 that I had ever been involved in. 725 00:43:26,210 --> 00:43:31,210 I'm just glad we had the expertise to get through it all. 726 00:43:31,250 --> 00:43:34,220 BOB: Even though it took quite a while, we think all the effort 727 00:43:34,250 --> 00:43:37,350 and all the complications involved were well worth it. 728 00:43:40,720 --> 00:43:48,100 [♪ bugle playing taps ] 729 00:43:48,130 --> 00:43:51,100 JAMES KALLSTROM: We had ceremonies out in Long Island 730 00:43:51,130 --> 00:43:52,770 every year for a while. 731 00:43:52,770 --> 00:43:54,500 You know, those were very emotional things, 732 00:43:54,540 --> 00:43:57,540 so that's what I'll always remember.