Associated Retired Aviation Professionals

Editorial by Tom Lynch - Eyewitness to Flight 587 Crash

What Fire?                              12/28/01

Six citizens have requested to testify at the first NTSB public hearing on flight 587;

Isn’t it strange? That witnesses request to testify? We do this because the NTSB is not publicly acknowledging the many eyewitness accounts [up to 25} of the in-flight fire or explosion, many of which are adamant that the fire/explosion occurred before any tail or engine breakups.

The NTSB has thus far deemed this crash as an accident not having explained yet the sequence of events or how a fire or explosion can be present in-flight and not have this raise suspicions of possible foul play or some other catastrophic failure beyond the tail.

If the NTSB had maintained objectivity they would not have said the crash was being treated as an accident when there seems to be sufficient reason to at least suspect foul play.

“Sometimes one needs to ask a cab driver to get the facts,” stated Patrick Moynihan former senator. Well ask most people what they think about this crash and the reply is

“Something’s up”. As we are at war with terrorists, the luxury we don’t have is time, and the year or two that it may take to determine the cause of this crash is unacceptable in this time of conflict.

Some of us had the misfortune of being eyewitnesses to the explosions, fire, and breaking apart of flight 587. We know that our senses are subject to different interpretations and that there may be some discrepancies, but if the justice system regarded witnesses in criminal trials as witnesses seem to be regarded in the Flight 587 NTSB investigation, 

Then probably ninety present of criminal convictions would never have happened.

Truth, Justice, and the American Way

Tom Lynch 


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