Engineering Disaster of TWA Flight 800

Engineering Disaster of TWA Flight 800

TABLE OF CONTENT

SUMMARY I

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

2.0 BACKGROUND 1

2.1 FLIGHT PATH 1

2.2 NTSB INVESTIGATION 1

2.3 SEQUENCE OF BRAKEUP 2

3.0 SOURCES OF IGNITION 3

3.1 JET FUEL FLAMMABILITY 4

3.1.1 FUEL CHARACTERISTICS 4

3.1.2 FUEL FLAMMABILITY IN TWA 800 4

3.2 ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FAILURES 5

4.0 SOLUTIONS 6

4.1 NITROGEN INERTING 6

4.1.1 C-17 OBIGGS NITROGEN INERTING SYSTEM 6

4.2 SAFETY FOAM 7

4.3 JET FUEL ALTERNATIVE 7

4.4 VENTED AIR GAPS AND INSULATION 7

5.0 CONCLUSION 8

6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 8

REFERENCES 9

APPENDIX A 10

APPENDIX B 11

SUMMARY

On the 17th of July, 1996, 13 minutes in it's flight, Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA 800) crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows that the aircraft exploded within the Central Wing Fuel Tank (CWT).

Unfortunately, NTSB was unable to locate the source of ignition, but several theories of explosion where explained within this report. These theories include probability of the fuel flammability within the conditions before the aircraft's explosion and the Failures of the electrical components

The solutions to the explosion theories include Nitrogen inerting, Jet fuel alternative, installation of foams and vented air gaps.

The report recommends using the JP-5 fuel alternative instead of Jet A (fuel used in TWA800). This option was more favourable than the other solutions to the constraints of Boeing's time and budget.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Boeing Ltd. has initiated a project that will improve the design aircraft. This design will provide a safer and more comfortable flight. In conjunction with this project, Batchel...

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...e decimal zero, estimating Charles de Gaulle at zero six two eight.

2028:42 FIC TWA eight eight hundred got it all.

2028:44.8 RDO-3 Thank you.

2029:15 CAM-1 look at that crazy fuel flow indicator there on number four.

2029:23 CAM-1 see that

2029:35 CAM-1 some where in here I better trim this thing (in/up)

2029:39 CAM-2 huh?

2029:39 CAM-1 some place in here I better find out where this thing's trimmed.

2030:15 CTR TWA eight hundred climb and maintain one five thousand.

2030:18 CAM-1 climb thrust.

2030:19.2 RDO-2 TWA's eight hundred heavy climb and maintain one five thousand leaving one three thousand

2030:24 CAM-1 Ollie.

2030:24 CAM-3 huh.

2030:25 CAM-1 climb thrust

2030:28 CAM-1 climb to one five thousand.

2030:42 CAM ((sound similar to a mechanical movement in cockpit)).

2031:03 CAM *.

2031:05 CAM ((sounds similar to recording tape damage noise)).