whatever ignited the fuel of the tank was inside the tank. it didn t come from outside. the cockpit voice recorder recovered one week after the crash may provide evidence. the pilot is heard observing a strange reading on a fuel flow gauge. that s probably an indication of some type of short circuit going on. this airplane was old, it was getting ready to be taken out of service. and there are more clues. one second before the cockpit voice recording ends, there are two dropouts in background noise suggesting a possible arc on the cockpit wiring. investigators believe in this moment high voltage enter the center wing fuel tank igniting the warm fuel vapors. that ignition caused overpressurization of the tank that blew out the forward panel of the tank. you can see the indentation where it s very clear on slam down, there s a very clear mark. from that position we had fractures that went down into
it s most likely a short circuit of the wiring and that certainly was very possible. you look at all the evidence. whatever ignited the fuel of the tank was inside the tank. it didn t come from outside. the cockpit voice recorder recovered one week after the crash may provide evidence. the pilot is heard observing a strange reading on a fuel flow gauge. that s probably an indication of some type of short circuit going on. this airplane was old, it was getting ready to be taken out of service. and there are more clues. one second before the cockpit voice recording ends, there are two dropouts in background noise suggesting a possible arc on the cockpit wiring. investigators believe in this moment high voltage enter the center wing fuel tank igniting the warm fuel vapors. that ignition caused overpressurization of the tank