Forensic (blood stains) evidence that the initial failure was at BS500 vs. the official conclusion "probably near BS440".
Page 49 of the Flt 243 NTSB Report said missing FA was at seat row 5 [which is BS500] but was ejected from the plane near BS440 [which is seat row 3] BS500 to BS440 is five feet distance. All the eyewitness testimony indicates the FA went "up and to the left" See page 28 "blood stains at seat 5A and exterior side of fuselage..." If it had been a spontaneous failure at BS440 (Row 3) the No. 3 FA who was standing at Row 2 (page 2) would most likely have been the one "burped" out of the aircraft being closer to the failure origin. This is a serious discrepancy of evidence.
Seat 5A Body Station 500
Attached are several photos. The blood stains on seat 5A correspond almost exactly to BS500.
Now for the blood. While inspecting an air receiver at Hawaiian Airlines in Hilo, one of the mechanics told me the story of one of the passengers who was soaked in blood after the accident yet none of it was his. After reviewing the docket, this was true of the persons in seats 5A, 6A and 6B. The second most illuminating piece of evidence for this theory is the fold-over piece of fuselage at S-10 BS540. The Metallurgist Report indicates blood on the rivet seam and blood spatters on BOTH the interior and exterior of the piece. See Fold-over piece photos Interesting is, on the interior the spatters are in the fore to aft direction but on the exterior, the spatters are in the AFT to FORE direction. The most plausible explanation is that the FA was basically IN the S-10 joint as it was separating (like a can opener) with her head and right arm outside the aircraft. For the FA's blood to be on both sides of the piece and aft to fore on the exterior, her body would have to have been at the S-10 BS540 juncture exactly at the time that piece folded over.
According to the FDR for 0.6 seconds the plane went nose down to the right. It then came up and to the left during the next 1.2 seconds. It was during this up and to the left phase that her body dropped to the top of the seats level as the fuselage section below the S-10 lap joint and between Body Stations 500 and 540 folded back above the wing, crushing her head and right hand leaving the identifiable blood stains. Obviously, she felt no pain.
The portion of the fuselage below the S-10 lap joint between Body Stations 360 and 500 was blown out and down, separating the aircraft below the wing as evidenced by the shark tooth tear pattern below the floor line.
© 1998 - Hawaiian Steam Engineering