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Former FBI Chief gives 'explosive' lecture on bombing of Pan Am Flight
Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: News
11/14/08 - Tom Thurman, the former chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Bomb Data Center and head of the Explosive Unit, visited the University of Rhode Island last Friday.
About 50 people attended his lecture, titled "The Bombing of Pan American Flight 103 on December 21, 1988."
A few audience members came to learn the truth behind the horrific 1988 catastrophe. One audience member worked in a nearby airport and had a general interest in cases worked on by the FBI.
"Prior to Sept. 11, this was the largest multi-national investigation," Thurman said.
Because of its three cockpit windows, the aircraft was easily identified as an early version of a 747. "At that time, it was an extremely stable airplane," Thurman said. "It was a great aircraft."
At 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 departed from London, England. At the time of its departure, 400,000 pounds of aviation fuel had been loaded into its fuel tank. The cargo fuels were also full, which "played directly into our ability to solve this heinous crime," Thurman said.
According to Thurman, later that evening, hurricane-force winds present at cruising altitudes forced the pilot to expend all available fuel to avoid them.
At 7:02:30 p.m., the pilot and copilot received orders to make an emergency landing. The employee at the land-based control tower waited for a response from the aircraft, but none was received.
Thurman said in an interview conducted after the attack, the person stationed at the tower control said that his blood ran cold and a word of utter disbelief, "no," escaped from his mouth as he looked at his radar screen. On the screen, he had seen 10 to 20 dots that indicated that Pan Am flight 103 had, quite literally, come apart in the air. It was later determined that the plane broke apart at an altitude of 31,000 feet.
"Until you forensically prove it, it's an accident," Thurman said.
Forensic teams were immediately formed after the explosion to establish the cause.
About 50 people attended his lecture, titled "The Bombing of Pan American Flight 103 on December 21, 1988."
A few audience members came to learn the truth behind the horrific 1988 catastrophe. One audience member worked in a nearby airport and had a general interest in cases worked on by the FBI.
"Prior to Sept. 11, this was the largest multi-national investigation," Thurman said.
Because of its three cockpit windows, the aircraft was easily identified as an early version of a 747. "At that time, it was an extremely stable airplane," Thurman said. "It was a great aircraft."
At 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 departed from London, England. At the time of its departure, 400,000 pounds of aviation fuel had been loaded into its fuel tank. The cargo fuels were also full, which "played directly into our ability to solve this heinous crime," Thurman said.
According to Thurman, later that evening, hurricane-force winds present at cruising altitudes forced the pilot to expend all available fuel to avoid them.
At 7:02:30 p.m., the pilot and copilot received orders to make an emergency landing. The employee at the land-based control tower waited for a response from the aircraft, but none was received.
Thurman said in an interview conducted after the attack, the person stationed at the tower control said that his blood ran cold and a word of utter disbelief, "no," escaped from his mouth as he looked at his radar screen. On the screen, he had seen 10 to 20 dots that indicated that Pan Am flight 103 had, quite literally, come apart in the air. It was later determined that the plane broke apart at an altitude of 31,000 feet.
"Until you forensically prove it, it's an accident," Thurman said.
Forensic teams were immediately formed after the explosion to establish the cause.
