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This FBI New York case file concerns the July 17, 1996 destruction of TWA Flight 800 and the bureau's forensic support to the investigation, which was initially handled as a possible international-terrorism and explosives matter. The records, dated from July through November 1996, include laboratory requests and reports, evidence-shipping paperwork, and a victim-identification report. They show requests for explosive-residue testing, metallurgical and scanning-electron-microscope examinations of aircraft debris, examination of cameras and videotapes, and processing of photographic negatives. A status memorandum says the New York office was awaiting laboratory reports needed for continuing coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board. The released material also reports that FBI disaster personnel and Suffolk County Police examined remains and obtained prints, producing positive fingerprint or footprint identifications for 97 victims.

FBI file number: 265A-NY-259028 | Documents span: 1996 | Released in 2 parts
Names in this file: Randall S. Murch, Sidney B. Weinberg, John O'Neill, George H. Andrew
Subjects: TWA Flight 800, aviation disaster, forensic analysis, explosives testing, victim identification, FBI Laboratory