TWA Flight 800 was a flight that regularly carried passengers from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, United States, to Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, with a stop in Paris, France. On July 17, 1996, at about 8:31 p.m. EDT, twelve minutes after taking off, the Boeing 747 exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York.
All 230 people on the plane died in the crash. This was the third-deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) went to the crash site the next day. At first, people guessed that a terrorist attack might have caused the crash. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York Police Department Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) also started a criminal investigation. Sixteen months later, the JTTF said no evidence of a crime had been found and closed its investigation.
The NTSB’s four-year investigation ended on August 23, 2000, with the release of an Aircraft Accident Report. This was the most detailed, complicated, and expensive air disaster investigation in U.S. history at that time. The report said the most likely cause of the crash was the explosion of flammable fuel vapors in the center fuel tank. While the exact source of the explosion could not be confirmed, the most likely cause was a short circuit. Investigators found problems with the plane’s wiring, including signs of sparks in the wiring of the fuel quantity indication system (FQIS), which is part of the fuel tank. The FQIS on Flight 800 had been acting strangely: the pilot reported unusual readings from the system about two minutes and 30 seconds before the explosion. Because of the investigation, new rules were created to help prevent future fuel-tank explosions on airplanes.
Accident
On the day of the accident, the airplane left Ellinikon International Airport in Athens, Greece, as TWA Flight 881 and arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport around 4:38 p.m. After arriving, the plane was refueled, and the crew was replaced.
The crew was led by Captain Ralph G. Kevorkian, who was 58 years old and had worked for TWA for 31 years and the U.S. Air Force for nine years. He had 18,700 hours of flying experience, including 5,490 hours on the Boeing 747. Captain Steven E. Snyder, 57 years old, had worked for TWA for 32 years and had 17,200 hours of flying experience, including 4,700 hours on the Boeing 747. Flight Engineer Richard G. Campbell Jr., 63 years old, had worked for TWA for 30 years and the U.S. Air Force for 12 years, with 18,500 hours of flying experience, including 3,800 hours on the Boeing 747. Also on the crew was Oliver Krick, a 25-year-old flight engineer trainee who had worked as a business pilot for four years and had 2,520 hours of flying experience, including 30 hours on the Boeing 747. Krick had worked for TWA for 26 days and was beginning the sixth part of his training. Flight 800 was a training flight for Kevorkian, who sat in the captain’s (left) seat. Captain Snyder sat in the first officer’s (right) seat and monitored Kevorkian’s progress. Flight Engineer Campbell sat in the cockpit jump seat. Flight engineer trainee Krick sat in the flight engineer’s seat and was monitored by Campbell. The NTSB Final Report listed Oliver Krick’s age as 24, but TWA’s press release stated he was 25. TWA was correct because Krick turned 25 on July 14, three days before the crash.
The cabin crew team had 15 members, including Flight Service Manager Jacques Charbonnier (65 years old) with 36 years of service at TWA, flight attendants Arlene Johnson (60), Connie Charbonnier (49), Maureen Lockhart (49), Marit Rhoads (48), Melinda Torche (46), Janet Christopher (47), Debra Diluccio (47), Mike Schuldt (51), Grace Melotin (48), Sandra Meade (42), Ray Lang (51), Dan Callas (21), and Jill Zienkiewicz (23). Their years of service at TWA ranged from 3 months to 36 years.
Before Flight 800 departed, the ground-maintenance crew locked out the thrust reverser for engine No. 3 because of technical issues with the thrust reverser sensors during the landing of TWA 881 at JFK. Severed cables for the engine’s thrust reverser were replaced. During refueling, the volumetric shutoff (VSO) control was believed to have been triggered before the tanks were full. To continue fueling, a TWA mechanic bypassed the automatic VSO system by pulling the volumetric fuse and an overflow circuit breaker. Maintenance records showed the aircraft had many VSO-related maintenance reports in the weeks before the accident.
TWA 800 was scheduled to leave JFK for Charles de Gaulle Airport around 7:00 p.m., but the flight was delayed until 8:02 p.m. due to a broken piece of ground equipment and a mismatch between a passenger’s luggage and the passenger’s name. After confirming the owner of the luggage was on board, the flight crew prepared for departure. The plane pushed back from Gate 27 at the TWA Flight Center at 8:02 p.m. The engines started at 8:04 p.m., but because of previous maintenance on engine No. 3, the crew only started engines No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4. Engine No. 3 was started 10 minutes later during taxiing at 8:14 p.m. The flight took off from Runway 22R at 8:19 p.m. without any issues.
TWA 800 then received instructions to change direction and climb to its planned cruising altitude. Weather conditions included light winds, scattered clouds, and dusk lighting. The last radio message from the plane was at 8:30 p.m., when the crew acknowledged instructions from Boston Center to climb to 15,000 feet. The last radar signal from the plane was recorded by the FAA at Trevose, Pennsylvania, at 8:31:12 p.m.
Thirty-eight seconds later, David McClaine, the captain of Eastwind Airlines Flight 507 (a Boeing 737-221 registered N221US, which had a near-crash a month earlier), reported to Boston ARTCC that he saw an explosion at about 16,000 feet. Other pilots in the area also reported seeing an explosion. Witnesses near the crash site saw or heard explosions, saw large fireballs over the ocean, and saw burning debris falling into the water. Civilian, military, and police vessels reached the crash site quickly but found no survivors. At the time, TWA 800 was the second-deadliest aircraft accident in U.S. history, after American Airlines Flight 191.
Background
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-131, made in July 1971. It had the registration number N93119 and serial number 20083. The plane had completed 16,869 flights over 93,303 hours of operation. It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7AH turbofan engines.
On board TWA Flight 800, there were 230 people, including 18 crew members and 20 off-duty TWA employees, most of whom were crew members assigned to the Paris–Rome leg of the flight. Seventeen crew members and 152 passengers were American. One crew member was Italian, and the rest of the passengers were from different countries. Notable passengers included:
Additionally, 16 students and five adult chaperones from the French Club at Montoursville Area High School in Pennsylvania were on board.
Initial investigation
The NTSB was told about the accident at about 8:50 p.m. on the day it happened. A complete team from Washington, D.C. was sent to the location. The team arrived at the site early the next morning. At first, people thought the crash might have been caused by a bomb or a missile attack. However, since the NTSB does not investigate crimes, the U.S. Attorney General can decide to start a criminal investigation if an accident might be linked to a crime. In the case of TWA 800, the FBI began a separate criminal investigation at the same time as the NTSB's accident investigation.
Search-and-recovery work was done by federal, state, and local groups, as well as government contractors. Crew members in an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the New York Air National Guard saw the explosion from about eight miles (13 km) away. They arrived at the scene while debris was still falling into the water and had to leave because of the danger. They reported their observation to the Suffolk County Airport tower. Equipment such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), side-scan sonar, and laser line-scanners were used to find underwater wreckage. Scuba divers and ROVs recovered victims and wreckage. Later, scallop trawlers helped retrieve wreckage stuck in the ocean floor. In one of the largest underwater recovery efforts ever, more than 95% of the airplane was recovered, even though conditions were difficult and dangerous. The search found three main areas of wreckage underwater, labeled yellow, red, and green. These areas held parts of the airplane's front, center, and rear sections, with the green zone (containing the back of the plane) farthest along the flight path.
Wreckage was taken by boat to the shore and then by truck to a hangar at the former Grumman Aircraft facility in Calverton, New York, for storage, study, and rebuilding. This location became the main center for the investigation. NTSB and FBI members watched all transfers to keep the evidence safe. The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were found by U.S. Navy divers one week after the crash and sent immediately to the NTSB laboratory in Washington, D.C., for analysis. The remains of the victims were taken to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's office in Hauppauge, New York.
Family members of TWA 800 passengers and crew, along with the media, met at the Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel. Many stayed until their loved ones' remains were found, identified, and released. This hotel became known as the "Heartbreak Hotel" because it was where families of victims from several airplane crashes gathered.
Some families were upset because TWA delayed sharing the passenger list, agencies gave conflicting information, and they did not trust the recovery efforts. Although NTSB vice chairman Robert Francis said all bodies were recovered as soon as found and wreckage was only collected if divers believed victims were underneath, many families doubted the truthfulness of these statements.
Anger and political pressure also focused on Suffolk County medical examiner Charles V. Wetli because of delays in identifying victims. Pathologists worked long hours to meet the demand for quick identification. While some bodies were mostly intact, most were burned, broken, skeletonized, or decaying, requiring DNA testing and dental records for identification. Since the goal was to identify all remains rather than perform detailed autopsies, the thoroughness of the examinations varied. Eventually, all 230 victims were found and identified, with the last identification happening more than 10 months after the crash.
Conflicts arose because of unclear leadership and differences in goals between the FBI and NTSB. The FBI, believing a crime had occurred, thought the NTSB was not decisive. One FBI agent said the NTSB "No opinions. No nothing." Meanwhile, the NTSB had to avoid sharing conclusions or evidence that law enforcement and politicians gave to reporters. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a group invited to the NTSB investigation, criticized FBI agents for removing wreckage from the hangar without documentation.
Most witnesses saw a "streak of light," which 38 of 258 witnesses described as rising and then forming a large fireball. Some said the fireball split into two parts as it fell toward the water. These accounts led to public interest and speculation that a missile had hit TWA 800, causing the explosion. These reports were a key reason the FBI started and continued its criminal investigation.
About 80 FBI agents interviewed potential witnesses daily. No exact records of interviews were made; instead, agents wrote summaries of what they heard. Witnesses were not asked to review or correct these summaries. Some summaries included drawings of what witnesses saw.
Soon after the crash, the NTSB planned to interview witnesses itself. However, the FBI raised concerns about nongovernmental groups in the NTSB's investigation accessing witness information and possible legal problems from interviewing the same people multiple times. The NTSB then postponed its witness interviews. Later, an NTSB investigator reviewed FBI notes and shared them with other investigators. In November 1996, the FBI allowed the NTSB to access witness summaries with personal details removed and agreed to let the NTSB conduct limited interviews. In April 1998, the FBI shared witness identities, but because so much time had passed, the NTSB decided to rely on the FBI's original documents instead of re-interviewing witnesses.
Further investigation and analysis
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder showed that the plane took off and climbed normally, with no problems during flight. At 8:31:12 p.m., both engines suddenly stopped. Earlier, at 8:29:15 p.m., the captain said, "Look at that crazy fuel flow indicator there on number four… see that?" A loud noise recorded near the end of the CVR was similar to sounds from other planes that had broken apart mid-air. This, along with the way the wreckage was spread out and witness reports, suggested that TWA 800 broke apart suddenly during flight.
Investigators looked at several possible causes for the breakup, including structural failure, decompression, a high-energy explosive device like a missile warhead exploding near the plane, a bomb inside the plane, or a fuel-air explosion in the center-wing fuel tank.
Examination of the wreckage found no signs of structural issues like fatigue, corrosion, or mechanical damage that could have caused the breakup. A forward cargo door breaking loose, as in past accidents, was considered, but evidence showed the door was closed and locked at the time of impact. The NTSB concluded that the breakup was not caused by a structural failure or decompression.
Radar data showed other planes or objects near TWA 800 at the time of the accident, but none were in the same location. Data from the Islip, New York radar facility showed three tracks near TWA 800, but these did not intersect with the plane’s path. No radar returns showed a missile or projectile moving toward TWA 800.
The NTSB reviewed claims that radar data showed military ships moving near the crash site or a 30-knot radar track that did not change course. Military records showed no ships within 15 nautical miles of TWA 800 at the time. The closest military area was 160 nautical miles away. The 30-knot track was likely from a fishing boat, cargo ship, or recreational vessel, as it matched normal traffic patterns. The source of this track was never identified.
Small amounts of explosive residue were found on three pieces of wreckage, including a canvas-like material and two floor panels. The FBI found traces of RDX, nitroglycerin, and a mix of RDX and PETN. However, tests showed that these residues could have come from military equipment or personnel during recovery operations, not from the crash itself. No signs of damage from a high-energy explosion were found on the plane’s structure, seats, or other parts. The NTSB concluded that the breakup was not caused by a bomb or missile.
To understand how the plane broke apart, the NTSB formed a group to study wreckage pieces, two-dimensional and three-dimensional reconstructions, and fire effects on parts of the plane. The group found that the first event was a fracture in the wing caused by an "overpressure event" in the center-wing fuel tank. This event could only have been caused by a fuel-air explosion in the tank. Tests showed that the fuel and fuel-air vapor in the tank could catch fire easily, especially because heat from air-conditioning units near the tank raised its temperature. A single spark could have caused the explosion. Computer models and scale tests helped explain how this happened.
Report conclusions
The NTSB investigation concluded with the approval of the board's final report on August 23, 2000. The board concluded that the most likely reason for the TWA 800 accident was an explosion in the center wing fuel tank (CWT), caused by the fuel and air mixture inside the tank catching fire. The source of the spark that started the explosion could not be confirmed, but the investigation suggested the most likely cause was a short circuit outside the CWT that allowed high voltage to enter the tank through wiring connected to the fuel quantity indicator system.
In addition to the main cause, the NTSB identified other factors that contributed to the accident. During the investigation and in the final report, the NTSB made 15 safety recommendations, mostly related to fuel tanks and wiring. One recommendation was to consider adding systems like nitrogen-inerting to new airplanes and, where possible, to existing airplanes.
After the accident, former Joint Chief of Staff Thomas Moorer and former White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger suggested the plane might have been destroyed by a missile, possibly from a nearby U.S. Navy ship. The NTSB’s findings about the cause of the TWA 800 disaster took four years and one month to publish. Early FBI investigations, later used by the NTSB, assumed a missile attack, a detail included in the NTSB’s final report. Six months into the investigation, NTSB chairman Jim Hall said, "All three theories—a bomb, a missile, or mechanical failure—remain." Early descriptions, images, and eyewitness accounts of the disaster, which showed a sudden explosion and fire moving upward, added to the speculation.
On June 19, 2013, the NTSB announced in a press release that it had received a request to reconsider the investigation into the July 17, 1996, crash of TWA Flight 800. In 2014, the NTSB refused the request to reopen the investigation. In a press release, the NTSB stated: "After a thorough review of all the information provided by the petitioners, the NTSB denied the petition in its entirety because the evidence and analysis presented did not show the original findings were incorrect."
Aftermath
Many Internet users reacted to the event, causing a record amount of online activity. CNN's website saw its daily views increase to 3.9 million, which is four times its previous level. The New York Times website also saw its daily views rise to 1.5 million, a 50% increase from before. In 1996, most U.S. government websites were not updated daily, but the U.S. Navy's website about the crash was updated regularly and had detailed information about recovering the wreckage.
The wreckage was moved to a special facility in Ashburn, Virginia, built by the NTSB. A reconstructed version of the plane was used to train accident investigators until it was taken out of service in 2021.
In 2008, the Department of Transportation created a rule to prevent fuel tank explosions on planes. The rule required airlines to fill fuel tanks with inert gas. This rule applied to new passenger and cargo planes, as well as most planes built in the 1990s, but not to older cargo planes. The NTSB had first suggested this rule five months after the crash and 33 years after a similar recommendation by the Civil Aeronautics Board in 1963, just nine days after the crash of Pan Am Flight 214.
The crash of TWA Flight 800 and the earlier crash of ValuJet Flight 592 in 1996 led Congress to pass the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. This law made the NTSB responsible for helping families of victims in fatal plane crashes, rather than the airline involved. It also limited lawyers and others from contacting families within 30 days of an accident.
During the investigation, the NTSB and FBI had disagreements. At the time, rules stated that the NTSB had priority in investigating plane crashes, even if an accident might be linked to a crime. After the TWA Flight 800 investigation, the NTSB realized clearer rules were needed. In 2000, new rules were added to 49 USC 1131(a)(2)(B), stating that if the FBI determines a crash may involve a criminal act, the NTSB must let the FBI take the lead in the investigation. However, the NTSB can still continue its own investigation.
In 2005, the NTSB and FBI signed an agreement stating that the NTSB would lead investigations immediately after a transportation accident. The FBI can still conduct a criminal investigation, but the NTSB’s work takes priority. The FBI must work closely with the NTSB’s lead investigator, including interviewing witnesses. This agreement ensures that neither agency’s work interferes with the other’s investigation. These changes improved cooperation between the NTSB and FBI since the TWA Flight 800 crash. By 2005, the agencies began joint training exercises. They also share resources, such as laboratories, and have assigned staff to help with communication and on-site operations.
Heidi Snow, the fiancée of TWA Flight 800 victim Michel Breistroff, helped create the AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services nonprofit group with families of victims from Pan Am Flight 103.
The TWA Flight 800 International Memorial was built on a 2-acre (8,100 m²) site at Smith Point County Park in Shirley, New York, on July 14, 2002. Funds for the memorial were raised by the Families of TWA Flight 800 Association. The memorial includes landscaped areas, flags from the 13 countries of the victims, and a curved black granite wall with engraved names and an illustration of a wave releasing 230 seagulls. In 2006, a 10-foot-tall (3.0 m) black granite lighthouse statue was added above a tomb holding victims’ personal items. The lighthouse was designed by Harry Edward Seaman, whose cousin died in the crash, and was dedicated by New York Governor George Pataki.
For nearly 25 years, the wreckage of TWA Flight 800 was kept by the NTSB and used to teach accident investigators. By 2021, the methods taught using the wreckage were no longer relevant, as modern investigations relied on new technology, such as 3D laser scanning.
Because the NTSB did not want to renew the lease for the hangar where the wreckage was stored, it decided to stop using the wreckage in July 2021. The NTSB had agreements with victims’ families that the wreckage could not be displayed publicly or sunk in the ocean. Instead, the NTSB planned to scan each piece of debris with a 3D laser scanner, store the data permanently, and then destroy the wreckage. Metal parts would be recycled, and any non-recyclable materials would be placed in landfills. The wreckage was scheduled to be destroyed by the end of 2021. It was destroyed in June 2023 near the former Ashburn facility where it was stored.
Dramatization
The incident was shown again in season 17, episode 4 of Mayday, called "Explosive Proof," and in the tenth episode of season 2 of Seconds from Disaster.
On July 17, 2013, the 17th anniversary of the event, the Epix TV channel aired a documentary titled TWA Flight 800, directed by Kristina Borjesson. The film says the crash investigation was not fully explained. It includes interviews with people who saw the event and disagree with how their statements were described publicly. It also includes interviews with investigators who worked on the original investigation. Six of them asked to look into the case again, using eyewitness accounts, radar evidence that might show a missile, and claims that evidence was changed. They called their effort "The TWA 800 Project." A former NTSB investigator, Henry Hughes, said he believes a bomb or missile caused the crash.
Some people have said that the fictional Volée Airlines Flight 180 crash in the first (2000) and fifth (2011) Final Destination movies is similar to the TWA Flight 800 crash. The creator of the Final Destination movies, Jeffrey Reddick, wrote the first film’s script in 1994, two years before the TWA Flight 800 crash. However, the film reused real news coverage of the TWA Flight 800 crash as if it were about Flight 180. Reddick later said he was not happy about this choice.