Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
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Transportation & maritime · 17 July 1996Open article references →
The Crash of TWA Flight 800
Atlantic Ocean crash area south of East Moriches · United States
Why editors use it hereCriminal-investigation history of explosive and missile testing and closure.
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Quick read
On 17 July 1996, TWA Flight 800 exploded and crashed into the Atlantic shortly after departing New York for Paris, killing all 230 people aboard.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
At 8:31 p.m., while climbing through about 13,800 feet, the center-wing tank exploded.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Uncertainty
The tank explosion is strongly established, while NTSB wording identifies a short circuit outside the tank as the most likely, not proven, ignition mechanism.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Why it matters
TWA 800 converted an extremely improbable hazard into a demonstrated one: eliminating assumed ignition sources was not enough when heated vapor remained explosive.
Reviewed 26 July 2026
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Quick read