A passenger jet exploded nearly 30 years ago. How families of aircraft disaster victims are treated was forever changed

In the days following the collision of a military helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington, DC, and the crash of a medevac jet in Philadelphia, federal investigators quickly expressed condolences to the families of the victims and partnered with nonprofit groups to provide information and support.

In the days following the collision of a military helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington, DC, and the crash of a medevac jet in Philadelphia, federal investigators quickly expressed condolences to the families of the victims and partnered with non-profit groups to provide information and support. It wasn’t always that way. As aviation authorities and transportation safety teams focused on recovering the wreckage and piecing together what might have caused the accidents, the families of the victims were often left frustrated by a lack of information and the slow pace of the investigations, which can often take a year. Nearly 30 years ago, an airliner exploded shortly after departing New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, leaving authorities with a difficult and complex investigation and families demanding answers. From the tragedy and the tireless efforts of advocates, an act of Congress mandated the government to offer support to families following airline disasters. In 1996, Paris-bound TWA Flight 800 was carrying 230 people when it exploded minutes after taking off, killing everyone on board. The plane’s wreckage fell into the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island. With help from the US Navy, the US Coast Guard and contracted fishing trawlers scouring the ocean floor, investigators were able to recover more than 95% of the aircraft, and, after almost a year, the remains of all who died were also recovered.