I haven't seen anything from the “conspiracy kooks,” but I'm wondering why there has been so little discussion in recent days of the engine on the A300 that was smoking, according to a pilot in a nearby plane, the booms or explosions which were reported, the fact that both engines separated and the plane apparently broke up prior to impact, resulting in four major fire areas on the ground.

Granted, the loss of the vertical stabilizer, or even the rudder alone, for that matter, would be enough to bring the airbus down. However, neither of those calamitous events by itself would seem to be able to cause the other characteristics of this tragedy, such as explosion, engine separation, and the apparent break-up of the plane prior to impact.

Something very strange and unprecedented occurred on that fateful day when Flight 587 broke apart over Jamaica Bay.

sp