ANALYSIS OF RADAR TRACKING OF THE TWA 800 DISASTER ON JULY 17, 1996

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01147319
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 19, 2022
• Case Number: F-2020-01828
• Publication Date: March 17, 1998

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c
17 March 1998
Analysis of Radar Tracking of the TWA 800 Disaster on July 17, 1996
Summary and Conclusions
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Background
Description of Radar Data
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Figure 1: Radar Locations
41.4
41.2
CD
41.0
40.8
40.6
I
11'111 I I 111
P\
JI
ISP
-
tro-jecfory
III 111.111 111.111.111 III
�74.0 �73.8 �73.6 �73.4 �73.2 �73.0 �72.8 �72.6
Longitude
Figure 1: Locations of the four radars used in this analysis. TWA Flight 800 took
off from JFK International, exploded about 50 nm east of JFK, and impacted in the
water after flying about 2.5 nm farther. A segment of the flight path from 24 seconds
before the explosion to impact is shown in the lower right of the map.
Main Object Identification
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Data Adjustments
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Possible Data Corruption
(b)(5)
(b)(3)
Description of Fitting Algorithm
(b)(5)
(b)(3)
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Accuracy of the Fit To the Data
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b)(5)
b)(3)
(b)(5)
(b)(3)
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Data Editing
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(b)(
(b)(
5)
3)
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Calculated Flight Path
Discussion of the Results
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Concluding Remarks
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References
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Appendix: Radar Hits After the Explosion
Table Al
Radar Hits After Explosion: JFK
Time(s) Range Azimuth(mag)
Table A2
Radar Hits After Explosion: ISP
Time(s) Range Azimuth(mag)
16.75
50.250
102.041
16.22
21.516
126.914
16.75
50.469
101.865
16.22
21.609
126.387
21.35
50.875
101.602
20.91
21.609
127.969
21.35
50.688
102.041
20.91
21.516
127.705
21.35
50.406
101.953
20.91
22.016
124.189
21.35
50.313
102.129
25.61
21.563
127.881
25.98
50.250
101.602
25.46
22.266
123.574
25.98
50.813
101.777
30.30
21.563
127.266
25.98
51.250
101.602
30.15
22.422
123.223
25.98
50.625
102.129
35.02
22.266
124.805
25.98
50.438
102.217
34.87
22.469
122.695
30.59
51.500
101.250
39.56
22.578
122.520
30.59
50.688
101.689
39.56
22.469
122.520
30.59
51.094
102.041
44.26
22.734
122.520
30.59
50.375
102.041
48.96
22.875
122.432
35.07
51.656
100.898
53.80
21.859
125.947
35.22
51.188
101.602
58.50
22.328
125.156
35.22
50.500
102.129
63.19
22.375
124.980
39.71
51.750
101.162
39.71
51.688
101.074
39.83
51.219
101.602
44.31
51.781
100.459
44.31
51.938
101.074
44.46
50.563
102.129
Table A3
44.46
48.92
51.250
51.938
101.689
100.986
Radar Hits After Explosion: HPN
49.07
52.063
101.250
49.07
50.531
101.777
Time(s)
Range
Azimuth(mag)
49.07
50.906
101.865
14.64
53.609
129.990
53.56
52.000
100.898
24.04
54.203
128.408
53.56
52.094
101.074
24.04
53.703
130.430
53.71
50.563
102.305
28.75
54.359
128.320
58.17
52.156
100.898
28.75
53.656
131.045
58.17
52.063
100.986
28.75
53.906
130.342
58.31
51.250
101.865
33.44
54.469
128.057
62.95
51.281
101.602
33.44
53.703
130.957
62:8
52.125
100.986
33.44
53.813
130.342
62.95
50.438
102.129
33.44
53.953
129.639
38.13
54.516
127.969
Table A4
38.13
53.703
130.781
Radar Hits After Explosion: RHD
38.13
38.13
53.906
54.109
129.727
129.639
42.83
54.406
128.936
Time(s)
Range
Azimuth
42.83
54.563
128.232
21.4
13.75
175.25
42.83
54.609
127.705
31.9
14.13
128.76
42.83
53.750
130.781
33.3
13.25
170.33
47.52
54.766
127.969
33.6
14.00
182.46
47.52
54.563
128.057
43.9
14.25
128.67
47.52
53.750
130.254
45.2
13.13
168.84
52.22
54.109
128.936
49.6
12.75
247.06
52.22
54.563
128.145
55.7
14.25
128.85
52.22
53.813
130.693
57.1
13.25
168.05
52.22
53.859
129.463
69.0
13.25
168.31
75.71
53.859
130.254
Note: Times are relative to 20:31 EDT
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