What happened
On the evening of July 17, 1996, a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Trans World Airlines (TWA) experienced a catastrophic mid-air breakup. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-131 registered as N93119, departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at approximately 20:19 EDT, bound for Paris, France. During the climb phase of the flight, near East Moriches, New York, the aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
The flight was carrying a total of 230 individuals, consisting of 212 passengers and 18 crew members, including pilots, flight engineers, and flight attendants. The impact and subsequent destruction of the aircraft resulted in 230 fatalities. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual, though the flight was operating under instrument flight rules.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage determined that the primary cause of the accident was a fuel/air explosion within the center wing fuel tank (CWT). This explosion led to the structural failure and subsequent breakup of the aircraft in flight. Evidence indicated that no missile or bomb was involved in the destruction of the plane.
While the exact mechanism for the ignition energy release could not be definitively identified, investigators concluded it likely entered the CWT via the wiring for the fuel quantity indication system. The investigation highlighted significant concerns regarding the design and certification of the aircraft, specifically noting that heat sources located beneath the center wing tank were not adequately mitigated to prevent the flammable fuel vapors from reaching an explosive state.