99-11-10          0700    Morning routine at hangar.  ….  Met with Karl CHRISTIANSEN over the file.  The report to Andy LATHEM is to be finished today and is to be available for review, and then is to be given to him on Monday.  There is a meeting planned for Monday afternoon again to update everyone and review the file. 

            ….

            Found out from John GARSTANG that the status of the airflow test is still unknown.  There was to be a deadline of noon our time today, but they were still negotiating at 1700 hrs today.  John also advised that there is a NASA report which has surfaced indicating that the smoke being used – ethylene glycol?? – can produce short circuits under certain conditions.  He feels that this likely will call a halt to the tests if nothing else does.  If they do go ahead, they are to be held just outside Los Angeles, Ca.

            Spoke with SIDLA about the wire examinations.  He requested scaled photos of the wire beads suitable for email.  He has a company called Sky Scan in Belgium that is capable of taking X-ray microscopy photographs to produce 3D images.  Supplied him with the photos.

            Attended the 1500 hr TSB meeting.  The airflow test was mentioned (same as above).  ….  In the meeting, Gus mentioned about the AES exam, that 14 Seattle wires and 4 aircraft wires had been examined.  Gus advised that he is sceptical of the process.  He advised that he is presently performing a non-destructive examination with the School of Dentistry at Dalhousie to take x-ray photos of the beads.  This is the continuation of the process that Dr. BROWN disliked.  To perform the test, the bead is place on a carbon adhesive surface.  BROWN felt that because the beads are so porous, this could contribute to the contamination of the beads.  (This fact was also mentioned to John GARSTANG after the meeting.)  Gus went on to mention about the Belgium Company, and that he is negotiating with CANMET about the examination of the aluminium beads for their oxygen level.

            ….

            Mike MATHIEU gave a short presentation on his work with the tail section.  He feels that the horizontal stabilizers have symmetry in their damage sufficient to indicate that the aircraft entered the water in a straight-on attitude.  The damage is similar to that found in the wings.

            On finishing up with the meeting, I had a chance to discuss the oxygen line and the beads with John GARSTANG.  He told me that he had reminded SIDLA that there is a provision in their act which states that the TSB must advise all concerned parties before any destructive action is taken on any significant exhibits, in this case meaning the wire and aluminium beads.  Therefore, before the short-circuited beads are cut so that no further testing can be performed, we must be advised.  He also stated again that Gus had been told that the AES was to continue and that it would be done in the manner as in the previous two tests, and not just to be looking for Anderson theory. 

            I also mentioned to him again about Dr. BROWN’s request that wires be submerged under various conditions in the water off Peggy’s Cove.  Gus has not mentioned this at all.  We discussed it briefly, with BROWN’s concern that some of the wires be attached to aluminium frame pieces.  I suggested that they would have to be contained in a wooden box with some wires attached to the bottom outside to ensure contact with the sea floor.  This will require short-circuited wires, some of which have been subjected to heat.

            Finished up at about 1730 hrs.  The new software is working well.