Small Bomb On Jet May Have Sparked Chain Reaction

TWA Flight 800 may have been destroyed by a bomb that was not especially powerful, but large enough to ignite a “chain reaction” that blew the jetliner in half, a source close to the investigation said Saturday.

Most aircraft bombs have detonated at higher altitudes when the plane is fully pressurized. In those cases a simple fuselage rupture led to massive decompression, causing the plane to disintegrate without a large explosion.

But Flight 800 exploded in a huge fireball seen as far away as 10 miles.

Although not the usual effect of a bomb, the Boeing 747 was well below cruising altitude and not yet pressurized. Under those conditions, a small bomb that could fit in carry-on luggage would probably not cause an immediate break-up.

Instead, the plane could keep flying until its jet fuel, ignited by a bomb, eventually exploded.