Though the official announcement is months away, FBI Director Louis Freeh and Special Agent James Kallstrom, the lead investigator on the Flight 800 task force, have recently confirmed there is no evidence of any criminal act. Kallstrom told NEWSWEEK that the FBI, which is still examining the wreckage, will give its criminal investigation ““one last shot’’ before accepting the safety board’s conclusion. NTSB officials, meanwhile, admit they have no idea what touched off the explosion, other than the fact that something ignited fuel vapor in the nearly empty tank. It might have been faulty wiring, static electricity or some as-yet-undiscovered cause: they may never know.
The battle now is over what precautions, if any, should be taken to prevent another such tragedy. The NTSB has urged a series of steps to reduce the risk of vapor buildup in the 747’s center tank, such as monitoring fuel temperatures and putting cool fuel in the tank. (Industry sources say these proposals would raise operations costs.) But the Federal Aviation Administration has the final say, and it is not ready to act. ““If I had a quick fix, I’d do it today,’’ says Thomas McSweeney, the FAA’s top safety official. McSweeney says his agency keeps an open mind on the NTSB’s recommendations but is not sure they would help.
In truth, the NTSB’s freak-accident theory faces a wall of disbelief - and not just among conspiracy buffs. Officials at TWA and the Boeing Corp. say the NTSB lacks proof, and an industry source says he doesn’t see ““how they can conclusively rule out a bomb.’’ But they essentially have - and as one NTSB investigator says, it is time for someone to act.
From the depths:The reconstructed fuselage is 94 feet long and 27 feet high-a jigsaw puzzle that contains vital clues to the Flight 800 disaster.
1 Gaping holes in fuselage look like missile strikes,but there’s no trace of explosives.
2 This looks like bomb damage,but a bomb would leave telltale pits in the metal,and none have been found.
3 The center fuel tank blew up from the inside,indicating a fuel-vapor explosion.
