TWA Flight 800 facts for kids
Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA 800) was a regular flight that took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Its destination was Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. On July 17, 1996, the plane, a Boeing 747-100, exploded just 12 minutes after leaving the airport. It crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York.
Investigators later found that a spark likely caused the center fuel tank in the wing to explode. Sadly, none of the 230 people on board survived the accident. This event remains one of the deadliest aviation accidents in U.S. history.
People on Board TWA Flight 800
| Nationality | Passengers | Crew | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
 United States |
125 | 17 | 142 |
 France |
42 | 0 | 42 |
 Argentina |
10 | 0 | 10 |
 Algeria |
9 | 0 | 9 |
 Italy |
8 | 1 | 9 |
 United Kingdom |
7 | 0 | 7 |
 Mexico |
7 | 0 | 7 |
 Denmark |
6 | 0 | 6 |
 Belgium |
4 | 0 | 4 |
 Ireland |
4 | 0 | 4 |
 Netherlands |
3 | 0 | 3 |
 Germany |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Norway |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Australia |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Canada |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Israel |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Japan |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Spain |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Sweden |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Ivory Coast |
1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 212 | 18 | 230 |
There were 230 people on TWA Flight 800. Most of them were from the United States. However, people from many other countries were also on board. For example, 42 people were from France, and 10 were from Argentina. In total, people from 18 different countries were on the flight.
The pilots flying TWA Flight 800 were Captain Ralph G. Kevorkian and Co-pilot Steven E. Snyder. The Flight Engineer was Richard G. Campbell. All of them had worked for Trans World Airlines for over 30 years. There was also a Flight Engineer Trainee, Oliver Krick, who was getting more training.
Images for kids
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This image shows how the plane broke apart. It also shows the size of the center wing fuel tank.
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This picture shows how TWA Flight 800 broke apart in the air. When the bottom of the plane blew out, cracks spread. This caused the front part of the plane to separate.
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This image shows how the plane, after losing its nose, flew unevenly before falling into the ocean.
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A memorial for TWA Flight 800.
See also
In Spanish: Vuelo 800 de TWA para niños
