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TAKES SO LONG, IT JUST TAKES SO
LONG TO GET THERE.
WE CAN'T JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION
IT IS PIECES OF PLANE OR NOT,
BUT ONCE YOU CAN EXAMINE THE
DEBRIS, YOU CAN REALLY FIGURE
OUT IF THIS IS THE PLANE, HOW IT
HIT THE WATER, BACKTRACKING THAT
WAY.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH AS AN
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR HOW ONE
WOULD APPROACH EVEN EXAMINING
DEBRIS?
>> WELL, THERE'S, YOU KNOW,
ITEMS ON THE MACRO SCALE OR
LARGE SCALE THAT WE WOULD BE
LOOKING AT BUT ALSO THINGS ON
THE MICRO SCALE.
SO THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT HOW
THE METAL IS DEFORMED, WHAT PART
OF THE AIRPLANE, THE WAY IT IS
BENT, THE ANGLES, AND ALSO FOR
SOME OF THE ITEMS, THEY'RE GOING
TO LOOK AT THE SMALLER CRACKS
AND SMALLER LESIONS AND SO FORTH
THAT THAT MIGHT BE TELLING ALSO.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU HAVE TO
GET WRECKAGE IN YOUR HAND AND
DECIDE WHAT LEVEL THEY FEEL LIKE
THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT
IT.
>> SAY WE KNOW IT ISN'T GOING TO
HAPPEN, FOR THE SAKE OF
CONVERSATION, THEY FIND THE
DEBRIS, HAVE IT IN THEIR HAND
TOMORROW.
SO THAT'S THREE WEEKS IT HAS
BEEN SITTING AND FLOATING, YOU
KNOW, WITH MARINE LIFE AND SEA
WATER.
WOULD THAT DAMAGE IT AT ALL?
>> WELL, ABSOLUTELY.
THERE CERTAINLY WILL BE SOME
DAMAGE.
IT DEPENDS WHAT TYPE OF METAL,
STEEL VERSUS ALUMINUM VERSUS
PLASTIC MATERIAL THAT MIGHT BE
OUT THERE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT'S A
SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS
INVESTIGATION THAT NEEDED TO BE
RULED OUT EVENTUALLY IS LOOKING
FOR FIRE AND SOOT AND OTHER
EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FIRE
VERY WELL STILL MAY BE ON THE
WRECKAGE, SO IT DOESN'T RULE OUT
THE ABILITY TO SEE THOSE TYPE OF
EVIDENCE OR CLUE.
>> WE KNOW THEY'RE LOOKING
ULTIMATELY, TALKING ABOUT THE
DEBRIS FIELD, THEY WANT TO TRACE
IT BACK TO THE BLACK BOX TO FIND
OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
IS IT POSSIBLE IF YOU'RE FLYING
A PLANE, YOU'RE IN THE COCKPIT,
DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING NEFARIOUS
HAPPENED, COULD YOU MESS WITH
THE BLACK BOX OR IS IT PERFECTLY
INTACT SAFE, NO ONE CAN --
>> THERE'S NO ACCESS FROM THE
COCKPIT.
AT THE MOST, A CIRCUIT BREAKER
WHICH COULD TURN IT OFF, BUT IT
IS WAY IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE,
IT IS BACK THERE FOR A REASON,
TO PROTECT FROM CRASH IMPACT
FORCES.
>> IN THE TAIL SECTION.
>> YES, IT IS ATTACHED -- SOME
WORRY ABOUT IT SINKING TO THE
BOTTOM.
IT IS GOING TO BE ATTACHED TO A
LARGE PIECE OF AIRPLANE EVEN IN