Newsday Coverage

TWA Flight 800: Anguish, questions linger 20 years later

It’s been exactly two decades since TWA Flight 800 crashed in the ocean near Center Moriches—killing 230 people. Yet the painful memories—and unanswered questions—linger on. Relatives who lost loved ones vividly recall their last goodbyes and the horror of learning what happened. Though the government has called the downing of Flight 800 an accident, critics point to evidence of a missile strike and a massive government cover up. Others ask if lessons learned from the crash have made airline passengers safer. Watch “TWA Flight 800—20 Years Later” – only on News 12 Long Island, as local as local news gets.

A Brother's Struggle

Airs 7/12: Richard Penzer’s sister Judy was an artist whose work still brightens the walls of his home. 20 years ago, Judy disappeared in a fireball over the Atlantic. Penzer still struggles to understand—and cope.

Fueling the Missile Theory

Airs 7/13: Was the crash an accident? The government says yes. But numerous eyewitnesses report seeing a missile rising to hit the plane. And a senior federal investigator assigned to the crash tells News 12 there is evidence of an official cover-up. After decades, the missile theory refuses to fizzle.

Lessons Learned?

Airs 7/14:What was done---and not done---to improve passenger safety after the disaster of Flight 800?

Expanded Coverage: Interviews and Resources

Extended Interviews

Raw interviews with the key people featured in the three-part series and extended archival video.

Documents

Read important documents related to the crash of Flight 800 and the subsequent investigation.

Previous Coverage

An archive of News 12 Long Island's coverage of TWA Flight 800 dating back to 1996.

Photos

Photos of the recovery, investigation and aftermath of TWA Flight 800.

Numbers and Links

Additional resources for the series.

Newsday.com

More in-depth coverage at Newsday.com.