Agreeing with PSJ, BR, DP, and JV; RMcM and FK: see NTSB link below
Reader comment on item: Why Did American Airlines 587 Crash?

Submitted by Michael Poppers (United States), Aug 31, 2004 at 15:00

I recall there being many aspects about the EgyptAir incident, such as the voice recording of the pilots' dialogue, which raised the possibility that malicious intent was involved. On the other hand,
-- AA 587 crashed shortly after takeoff, not the optimal time to explode a bomb (need I explain why);

-- its vertical stabilizer and rudder were found a mile from the main wreckage, indicating a problem with said equipment;

-- a review of the data found that AA 587 was buffeted by turbulence from the jet which took off before it and that the stabilizer broke off (preventing the pilots from keeping the plane aloft) before the crash;

-- and, as noted by Dr. Pipes in the 1st paragraph of his article, no indication or evidence of malicious intent, e.g. explosives residue, was found (and any evidence of explosives would have been publicized, Dr. Pipes' insinuations to the contrary, precisely because the incident occurred after 9/11 on American territory).

A second, minor point: Dr. Pipes suggests combing through security tapes. An investigator also could match the passenger manifest against next-of-kin claim info. to determine which passengers, if any, had no next of kin.

More information on the AA 587 incident can be found at http://www.ntsb.gov/events/2001/AA587/agenda.htm.

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