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China Air Flight 611 - Another TWA 800? Static?

Steve Fowler - Fowler Associates
June 18, 2002

Just how similar are the two crashes of Boeing 747's? The May 25 crash of China Air 611 was a U.S.-made, Taiwanese-operated jumbo jet flying from Taipei to Hong Kong. The 23-year-old Boeing 747-200 crashed about 20 minutes after takeoff. The plane was flying at approximately 35,000 feet, a cruising altitude at which accidents rarely occur, in clear weather. Air-traffic controllers received no distress call or indication of trouble from the pilots. In fact there was no communication after the plane was instructed to go to flight level "350". The plane apparently blew apart and fell into the sea. There were no survivors. It fell in 4 large pieces much like the TWA 800 crash.

Just as in the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, investigators have three theories: an onboard bomb explosion, a missile strike or mechanical failure. No evidence of terrorism has yet turned up. But until the plane’s black-box recorders and wreckage are recovered, investigators have little hard evidence. “We’re hoping to get some metal to look at,” said a Boeing spokeswoman. Could the center fuel tank of the China Airlines plane have suddenly exploded, which is what investigators concluded happened to TWA 800. If the crash is ultimately attributed to mechanical or other design problems, it could force regulators worldwide to take a hard look at the safety of older planes.

This author, for one, does not believe that the static "potential" causes have been fully investigated. Do we have a serious electrostatic problem in the center tank area waiting to happen on any 747 flight?

 

Give us your thoughts and suggestions for a cause.

 

Related Articles on the ESD Journal:
Explosion of Boeing 737 Similar to Explosion of TWA Flight 800
Military Intrigue or Static Disasters?
Response to TWA Articles

Links for more information:

Why John Kerry Talks About TWA 800
Jumbo-Jet Mystery
Special Report: Crash of Flight 611
Aviation Safety Network-Accident Description of Flight 611
Aviation Safety Council Flight 611- Transcript
Aviation Safety Council Flight 611- Maps, Graphs and Radar Data