Shortly after takeoff from a Paris airport, Air France Flight 4590 crashed, killing the crew and all the passengers. It was the first fatal crash of a Concorde jet. The Concorde is the world's only supersonic passenger jet. That means it flies faster than the speed of sound. Based in London, England, and Paris, France, Concorde jets can ferry travelers across the Atlantic Ocean in just over three hours, less than half the time of a non-supersonic passenger jet.
Investigators believe that the crash resulted from a piece of metal on the runway.
The metal probably punctured a tire. Then, debris from the ruptured tire shot into the engine, causing it to catch fire. The accident may speed up the decline of Concorde jet service. Once thought to have a promising future in aviation, the Concordes have proven to be expensive to maintain and fuel. The U.S. supported the south in that war and American troops still patrol the heavily armed zone that divides the two sides.