Revenant a nos moutons, I would never claim to be an expert on this subject, but I know several who really are, and none is in any doubt that the start of the chain of events that led to the Paris catastrophe was the mechanics' failure to reassemble the undercarriage properly, ie leaving the spacer on the floor where it was found.
The evidence that the fire started before the SST reached the Continental piece of metal is, in their view, incontravertible.
This will never, ever be admitted in France and there is little point in going on about it. Unless, of course, you are facing a civil suit for very large sums.
Last edited by Capot; 2nd December 2012 at 15:41.