Reports indicate the plane entered the water relatively intact. It's possible, an airliner's fuel tank exploded off of Long Island over the Atlantic ocean several years ago. The forward section separated from the rest of the plane. The plane, absent cockpit and the accompanying forward section, continued to fly. It even gained altitude mainly due to the resultant loss of weight. This plane was intact for much of the climb and dive sequence. Fireballs were reported in this case. This aircrafts Center Wing Fuel tank ignited due to a suspected short in the wiring that runs into the tank. The aircraft is known as TWA Flight 800 (link to Flight 800 story-- http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2000/aar0003.htm )....lakotahope
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CNN) -- The Brazilian navy began retrieving debris Thursday from an Air France passenger jet which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean with 228 people onboard as investigators continued to hunt for clues into the cause of the accident.
A Spanish pilot said he saw an "intense flash" in the area where Flight 447 came down off the coast of Brazil, while a Brazilian minister appeared to rule out a mid-air explosion.
If true, that would rule out an in-flight explosion as the cause of the crash of Air France Flight 447, Defense Minister Nelson Jobim told reporters.
"Suddenly, we saw in the distance a strong and intense flash of white light, which followed a descending and vertical trajectory and which broke up in six seconds," the captain wrote.
Eleven aircraft and five ships are engaged in the search, including airplanes from France and the U.S. 
Watch as experts question whether recovery is possible »
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