December 23, 1997: TWA 800 investigation - Capt. William S. Donaldson
The Art Bell Archive · Arthur William Bell III
January 7, 202441m 33s
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (archive.org) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Art Bell welcomes retired Navy Commander William S. Donaldson, a 25-year naval aviator and crash investigator, who presents what he calls smoking gun evidence that TWA Flight 800 was destroyed by an external explosion rather than a center fuel tank malfunction. Donaldson challenges the NTSB's flight test methodology, noting the test aircraft's fuel tank was 25 degrees warmer than Flight 800's actual conditions on the night of the crash.
Donaldson reveals that the flight data recorder's final line of data was physically lined out in documents distributed to media at the public hearing. When deciphered, that last second of recording shows the altimeter plunging 3,672 feet instantly, airspeed dropping from 298 to 100 knots, and the angle of attack vane swinging to 106 degrees before returning to normal within half a second. He argues these readings can only be explained by an external high-explosive detonation.
Using pressure calculations, Donaldson demonstrates that even at ten times the maximum estimated center tank pressure, the overpressure at the static port 70 feet away would measure only 0.43 PSI, far below the 1.32 PSI actually recorded. He urges listeners to contact Congressman Jimmy Duncan's aviation subcommittee demanding a full investigation.
Donaldson reveals that the flight data recorder's final line of data was physically lined out in documents distributed to media at the public hearing. When deciphered, that last second of recording shows the altimeter plunging 3,672 feet instantly, airspeed dropping from 298 to 100 knots, and the angle of attack vane swinging to 106 degrees before returning to normal within half a second. He argues these readings can only be explained by an external high-explosive detonation.
Using pressure calculations, Donaldson demonstrates that even at ten times the maximum estimated center tank pressure, the overpressure at the static port 70 feet away would measure only 0.43 PSI, far below the 1.32 PSI actually recorded. He urges listeners to contact Congressman Jimmy Duncan's aviation subcommittee demanding a full investigation.