Expert: Capt Paul - 9/14/2006

Question
What is the cause of the TWA 800 disaster?

Answer
An explosion of the center wing fuel tank (CWT), resulting from ignition of the flammable fuel/air mixture in the tank.

The source of ignition energy for the explosion could not be determined with certainty, but, of the sources evaluated by the investigation, the most likely was a short circuit outside of the CWT that allowed excessive voltage to enter it through electrical wiring associated with the fuel quantity indication system.

Contributing factors to the accident were the design and certification concept that fuel tank.

Explosions could be prevented solely by precluding all ignition sources from the design and certification of the Boeing 747, which was certified with heat sources located beneath the CWT, and  with no means to reduce the heat transferred into the CWT or to render the fuel vapor in the tank nonflammable.

That's the officially reported cause.   However, many aircraft in the area at the time of the explosion reported seeing somthing like a "Flare" originating from the ground below (Sea), and traveling towards the aircraft until the explosion happened.  Incidently, the US Navy was the first to arrive at the accident scene, which is very unusual as the Navy does not normally participate in Civilian Search and Rescue activities.  Resultantly, many people have speculated that the explosion was caused by an accidental firing of a Navy missle.  But, that theory has never been a reported by the government, nor was there any evidence (Found) to substanciate those various claims.

Cheers