National Transportation Safety Board investigators have questioned whether an electrical discharge in the Fuel Quantity Indication System (FQIS) may have initiated the TWA-800 center wing tank explosion. Because the FQIS was designed to be incapable of producing such a discharge on its own, attention has been directed to mechanisms of outside electromagnetic influence. To support the investigation, the NASA Langley Research Center was tasked to study the potential for radiated electromagnetic fields from external radio frequency (RF) transmitters and passenger carried portable electronic devices (PEDs) to excite the FQIS enough to cause arcing, sparking or excessive heating within the fuel tank.


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    Title :

    Investigation of Electromagnetic Field Threat to Fuel Tank Wiring of a Transport Aircraft


    Contributors:
    J. J. Ely (author) / T. X. Nguyen (author) / K. L. Dudley (author) / S. A. Scearce (author) / F. B. Beck (author)

    Publication date :

    2000


    Size :

    204 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Investigation of Electromagnetic Field Threat to Fuel Tank Wiring of a Transport Aircraft

    Ely, Jay J. / Nguyen, Truong X. / Dudley, Kenneth L. et al. | NTRS | 2000


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    Supersonic Aircraft Fuel Tank Fire Hazard Investigation

    N. L. Helgeson / M. Gerstein / B. P. Breen | NTIS | 1968



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