Massachusetts Group Sues Over Flight 800 Debris

Newsday ^ | 13 July 2006 | Joseph Mallia

[Hal1950]

A Massachusetts group has filed a lawsuit to force federal officials to release information about a piece of debris from Flight 800 that it hopes will show that a missile downed the plane.

Federal investigators have dismissed that explanation as the cause of the 1996 explosion that killed all 230 people aboard. Instead they concluded that a spark ignited fuel tank vapors.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Boston, demands that the National Transportation Safety Board respond to numerous freedom of information act requests made since 2004.

Tom Stalcup, who heads the East Falmouth, Mass.-based Flight 800 Independent Researchers Organization, which filed the suit, said he is "very certain" that federal investigators found the piece of debris and are now concealing evidence of its existence.

Radar data show the piece of debris falling at high speed from the plane and a Navy salvage map shows it was later recovered, said Stalcup, 36, a physicist and owner of a West Falmouth, Mass., company that makes wireless weather stations. Despite this evidence, federal officials won't explain what happened to the debris once it was recovered from the ocean off Long Island, he said.

"One piece in particular landed closer to JFK Airport than any of the other thousands of recovered items ... after exiting the airframe at apparent supersonic speeds," the suit says.

NTSB spokesman Paul Schlamm said the agency does not comment on pending lawsuits, but said most federal agencies have limited resources to respond in a timely way to Freedom of Information Act requests. "We are aware that there's a FOIA backlog," Schlamm said.

[mbx1231]

Moonbats go home!

[phoenix0468]

Federal investigators have dismissed that explanation as the cause of the 1996 explosion that killed all 230 people aboard. Instead they concluded that a spark ignited fuel tank vapors.

And again I ask, why on earth would a Pan Atlantic flight have an empty fuel tank?!?

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

A Massachusetts group has filed a lawsuit to force federal officials to release information about a piece of debris from Flight 800 that it hopes will show that a missile downed the plane.

[Paperdoll]

Seem to recall close to 100 reported seeing ground to air missle before the plane exploded.

[Bommer]

And again I ask, why on earth would a Pan Atlantic flight have an empty fuel tank?!?

The real question to ask is why doesn't this happen more often?

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

[DustyMoment]

A Massachusetts group has filed a lawsuit to force federal officials to release information about a piece of debris from Flight 800 that it hopes will show that a missile downed the plane.

It would make for some interesting discussions if it can be proven that a (possibly) terrorist fired missile brought that aircraft down. I'm not suggesting that's what happened or even posing another "conspiracy" theory, just speculating on the possibility.

[phoenix0468]

Well, according to the NTSB, the conditions have to be just right, and the moon has to be waxing into full, and magnetic north must be perfectly polarized, blah blah blah blah blah. What a bunch of crap.

[Hal1950]

FIRO asks that those interested enough to make a contribution to their legal expenses, send a check, payable to FIRO, to Nancy Hessler, Treasurer, P.O. Box 2003, Lombard, IL 60148-2003 Lombard, IL 60148-2003.

[aviator]

And again I ask, why on earth would a Pan Atlantic flight have an empty fuel tank?!?

---

Because you don't need a full tank of gas in a 747 to cross the Atlantic.

[UCANSEE2]

IIRC, it is because they do not need the extra fuel. It just adds more weight.

Fuel is pumped between the tanks to make sure equal weight in the wing tanks, from the center tank, after one leg of the flight, for instance.

I.E. They don't fill up all tanks every time they land.

I know. I flew private planes and you fill er up when you land.

I am going on what information I got from the investigation.

[barnbarn_2000]

Why would terrorists shoot down their own plane? If anyone knows the capibility of the US military and their ability to shoot down a plane pre-9/11 I would be interested, but as far as I have been informed, the only plane in the air during that time was some Air Guard jet in North Dakota. I dont know if the United States had the ability to shoot down passenger planes. Maybe its possible the missile came from a submarine or a destroyer. I'm sure this subject has been beaten to death.

[phoenix0468]

Oh, and I guess your a pilot, or work in the industry? No you may not need a full tank, and I didn't even insinuate that. But there would most likely be a fair amount of fuel in that tank. They stated that it was empty. Which I continue to disbelieve.

[Hal1950]

The following very detailed report was personally prepared by two airborne witnesses shortly after the disaster and posted by them on the internet - but it does not appear to be included in the witness portion of the NTSB's final report. Those who believe the NTSB should include it are encouraged to contact the NTSB direct and press them to do so. Witnessing The Downing of Flight 800

[Paperdoll]

It was reported to have been a commercial airliner, just having taken off.

[Paperdoll]

>Why would a terrorist shoot down their own plane?<

??? And what planet are you from, pray tell?

[Wil H]

And again I ask, why on earth would a Pan Atlantic flight have an empty fuel tank?!?

Not unusual, the plane has far greater range than the trip it was on, and you only are required excess fuel for a specified additional time period beyond your flight plan. An extra above and beyond that is unnecessary load and is inefficient.

Better to ask how you get Jet-A (similar to Kerosene) to ignite with an electrical spark, and why hasn't it ever happened before or since given the millions of flights by these planes. It's just not a credible explanation.

[Wil H]

Seem to recall close to 100 reported seeing ground to air missle before the plane exploded.

Over 130 independent witnesses from all round the bay, and their reports, for the most part, triangulated to pinpoint the launch position.

This entire testimony was suprresed by the NTSB.

Nothing to see here...

[demkicker]

Moonbats who believe the Clinton cover-up of Flight 800 go home!