Flight 587 Debris FOIA Request

Thomas F. Stalcup
President, NTSB Watch
332 Hatchville Rd., E. Falmouth, MA 02536
774-392-0856

National Transportation Safety Board
Re: American Airlines Flight 587, Belle Harbor, New York, November 12, 2001 DCA02MA001

SUBJECT: FOIA Request for information related to the debris field and wreckage recovery locations from the crash of American Airlines Flight 587.

DATE: October 26, 2004

Dear Sir or Madam:

I have recently become aware of at least one eyewitness to the crash who saw large pieces of wreckage fall from the aircraft, land in Jamaica Bay, and sink. Other witnesses also reported large pieces of wreckage exiting the aircraft's fuselage and striking the tail of the jet, causing it to subsequently separate from the aircraft.

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, I hereby request the following information, related to the NTSB investigation into the aviation incident described above:

1) Electronic copies of any and all debris field databases, including but not limited to Excel spread sheet(s) and MS Access database(s).

2) Full quality, electronic reproductions of all salvage and/or debris field maps ever produced during the investigation.

3) All information, including the complete chain of custody, divers notes and logs, and forensic analyses, reports and documents of any and all wreckage found in Jamaica Bay, either on its surface or on the Bay's floor.

4) Any and all radar analyses, conclusions, reports, memos, or other communications related radar targets apparently related to wreckage exiting the airframe and how they relate to recovered wreckage.

I am requesting these records for non-commercial use and as an active member of an informal public interest group independently researching the cause of the accident. We will make all such material available through our website as a free public service.

I request a waiver of fees because my interest in the records is not primarily commercial and disclosure of the information will contribute significantly to public understanding of the events leading up to present status of the federal investigation into the crash of Flight 587.

I am President of a non-profit group investigating the crash, and we make the results of our research freely available to the public. See our website for more information: http://NTSBWATCH.com

If documents or media are denied in whole or in part, despite the public interest, please specify which exemption(s) is (are) claimed for each passage, document, or media denied. Give the number of pages in each document and the total number of pages pertaining to this request and the dates of documents withheld. In the case of recorded media, give a complete description of any denied media or media segment. In regard to documents, I request that excised material be "blacked out" rather than "whited out" and that the remaining non-exempt portions of documents be released as provided under the Freedom of Information Act.

Please advise me of any past, present and/or future destruction of records that could be considered related in any way to this request, including the date of and authority for such destruction. As I expect to appeal any denials, please specify the office and address to which an appeal should be directed.

If my request for a waiver of fees is denied, please inform me if the fees will exceed two hundred dollars. This amount is what I am willing and able to pay, although I believe that my waiver request should be granted.

I will expect a response within 10 working days as provided by law. If my request is denied in whole or in part, I expect a detailed justification for withholding the records. I also request that any segregable portions that are not exempt to be disclosed.

If you have any questions about handling this request, don't hesitate to call me at (774) 392-0856.

Thank you,