The jet that crashed in Long Island in the nineties...(was it flight 587?) was the only successful shoe bombing so far.
AA 587 crashed into Rockaway Beach, Queens, NY 90 seconds after take off from JFK killing all aboard and 5 on the ground. It happened on November 12, 2001, 2 months after 9/11.
At the time there was speculation that it was OBL’s revenge against Mike Moran - brother of FReeper John Moran who was lost on 9/11. At the Concert for New York, Mike told OBL to “kiss his Royal Irish A$$”.
I think the final ruling was ‘pilot error’ but, like you, I think it was a successful shoe bomber. Eyewittnesses - cops and firemen - saw an explosion.
Victor Trombettas has gathered together a lot of info: http://usread.com/flight587.html
No it was fumes from the empty main fuel tank. Because jets always take off with empty fuel tanks.