99-06-21
0800 - 1730 To SR Technics and
then to HB-IWC. Jim FOOT and Larry
FOGG present and also taking photos. . . .
.
At 1000 hrs, I attended the meeting with
TSB, Swissair, & Boeing to discuss the
upcoming bench tests of the ‘Auger’ test
(see SITE NOTES for details).
At 1000 hrs, attended the meeting between
TSB, Swissair, and Boeing. John
GARSTANG and Jim FOOT were present for TSB;
Sandro SIRIU, Yorg? and one other for
Swissair; and Larry FOGG for Boeing.
The meeting dealt with upcoming wiring burn
tests and the Auger Spectroscopy test.
It is considered to be a non-destructive
test, however it removes one or more
angstrom units of material from the outer
surface. The theory of the test is
that if the examined wire shorted and caused
the fire, the wire would melt from the heat
produced but then quickly solidify again
once the electrical short stops.
Because this would happen with little if any
fire produced gasses in the local
atmosphere, any air trapped in the
re-solidified metal would contain normal
levels of atmospheric molecules. But
any wire that shorts as a result of the
fire, the material trapped would contain
fire products at levels consistent with the
atmosphere during the fire. There
should be a difference and the ‘AUGER’ test
should be able to determine the difference.
However, this test, although old, has never
been used in this manner before. The
object of the upcoming tests is to produce
benchmarks by which actual wires from HB-IWF
can be compared. To do this, Swissair
will supply agreed upon wire bundle types,
and Boeing will cause them to short under
various conditions. Wires will be
arced in normal atmosphere, high nitrogen
atmosphere, and in concentrations of fire
residue atmosphere. Swissair will
search for wires of a suitable age and type
consistent with the age of HB-IWF.
There were some discussions as to the types
and numbers of wires, etc. They will
include AC & DC, Kapton and Tefzel coatings,
IFEN, Boeing, and galley type wires.
Then there was discussion as to where the
wires would be sent. Both TSB and
Boeing wanted them sent direct to Boeing in
Seattle. However, Swissair won out by
having them forwarded to the TSB in Halifax.
TSB will then send them on to Boeing.
Alex TAYLOR is the Boeing person setting up
the tests in Seattle. Swissair and TSB
will be present, and of course Boeing.
The wire burns, once completed in August,
will be taken directly to Dr. Jim BROWN, a
metallurgist with the NRC and CANMET.
He has been hired to conduct the test, which
is being described as a blind test.
Again, Swissair and Boeing (Larry FOGG) will
be present along with TSB (Jim FOOT).
During the meeting, I kept a very low profile and did not
comment on any of the discussions. However, several
problems can be seen in this endeavour. The actual
collection of wires seems to be rather unorganised. While
types were discussed, there seems to be no specific list.
It appears rather haphazard, but with several firm diary dates.
The harnesses are to be defined by the end of June (9 days
away), built by Swissair by the end of July, and to be in
Seattle before the week of August 7th. They
will then be taken immediately to Ottawa. Swissair was
told to try and locate wires of the appropriate age. They
thought that they could find some at their storage depot but
that they could not be sure of the age or origin. These
wires are not left lying around the hangar for some upcoming
Auger test. In addition to wires, ceiling panel material
and FR primed metal will be added to the burn.
It is interesting to note that the IFEN wires of three strands
have a white wire that is of two different manufacturers - one
in one area, the other somewhere else in the system. The
other two wires are different colours, red and blue.
Breakers will be removed from an existing aircraft system and
will be used in the set-up. They of course are no longer
in use on the Swissair aircraft. While most of the burning
will be open wires, some tests will include burning in conduit.
There was no plan mentioned about the marking of the wires.
At no time was it indicated that they would become actual
exhibits, which of course they must become. Each wire will
be approximately four feet long, so there should be ample
opportunity to mark one end of each with an exhibit tag and have
it survive the testing. As such an exhibit, each should be
photographed to allow for its documentation.
Next, testing will be conducted by Boeing, who will set up the
equipment virtually from scratch in their lab facilities in
Seattle. There was some discussion as to the actual method
of hooking up the wires; however, it seems to be a case of trial
and error. It would seem that since this is the first time
doing this test, perhaps some experimentation is in order to
determine the actual set-up with other than the aircraft wires,
which by their nature are of a limited source (by type and age).
It might also be questioned as to why Boeing is conducting the
tests. Time may show that Boeing has a lot to gain or lose
in the outcome. Surely someone will later question why the
test was not conducted by an independent entity other than
Swissair or Boeing. And the question remains as to who
will seize and maintain the exhibits?
Then comes the agreement that everyone can go to Ottawa for the
actual analysis and evaluation of the results. There was
no discussion given to recording photographically the results
before they are tested in this manner. But it was agreed
that this would be a blind test. This may be in question
if any Swissair or Boeing reps are present with knowledge of the
actual burn tests. Surely any input from them in any way
can be argued to be an influence on the examiner.
Considering the seriousness of these tests and their potential
significance in any upcoming legal action, perhaps more
consideration should be given to the long-term view of the
outcome. This test, until now unknown in fire
investigation circles, appears to have a major role to play in
serious arson investigations. This file may make the test
known on a wide scale.
The meeting was over by 1245 hrs.
After lunch, returned to IWN and photos taken on it.
(Clarification:) One
must remember that this was still very early in the
investigation, relatively speaking. I was not yet privy to
all the intrigue that went on behind the doors of the TSB's side
of the hangar, or of their manipulation of correct procedures.
Neither did I have any idea of what Lathem would later do to
thwart any criminal investigation. As yet, there was
little if anything to indicate a criminal source for the fire
other than excessive burn damage and the opinions of several of
the floor investigators that they had never seen such fire
damage.
Of note, this was the morning when Jim Foot had
jumped ahead of me to take photos of the smoke curtain, and then
adjusted it before I could take my photos. Twice, I warned
John about it, then we broke for this meeting. To say that
there were tensions between Foot and me would have been
accurate.
As well, during this
meeting, I asked Sidla about Dr. Brown, and his comment was that
Dr. Brown was the best, and that we were lucky to be able to get
him for this project.
_svg.png)
