Aircraft Mishap #1: Stress Failure Suspected in Air Mishap
On February 25, 1989, at 1:34 a.m., United Airline flight 811, a Boeing 747-100 departed Honolulu International Airport enroot to Auckland, New Zealand with 336 passengers and 18 crewmembers on board. At Approximately 2:29 a.m., flight 811 made an emergency landing back at Honolulu airport with a gapping 10 by 40 foot hole on the right side of the aircraft towards its nose. This aircraft that Boeing had designed was meant for a long life of service with structural integrity in mind (Stress failure suspected in air mishap, 1988).
Reports came back that passengers had heard sounds of hissing (escaping air) coming from that side of the aircraft, when suddenly a large portion of the aircraft ripped away taking the passenger in those seats with it. Approximately 9 passengers got sucked out and fell 5,500 meters to their death in the Pacific Ocean. By the time the aircraft had landed, out of the four engines, 2 remained and 14 other passengers sustained injuries (Stress failure suspected in air mishap, 1988).
After the initial reports, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (21 member team with 2 Boeing experts) were still not sure what exactly happened but they were leaning towards structural failure. The root cause could have been stress fractures compounded by maintenance personnel’s doing repairs in that since the rip of the skin appear close to a fresh rivet line. A service difficulty report was filed with the FAA from United on this particular aircraft and it cited that the 19 year old aircraft after a recent inspection had found corrosion and cracks near number 3 engine pylon (Stress failure suspected in air mishap, 1988).
Figure 1. The color picture depicts United Airline flight 811, a Boeing 747-100 safe on deck with a 10 by 40 foot gaping hole in the right forward portion of the fuselage. Adapted from “Stress failure suspected in air mishap.” 1989, The Windsor Star, Copyright 1989 by The Windsor Star.
Aircraft Mishap #2: Roof Ripped Off Jet in Apparent Structural Failure; Flight Attendant Lost, 61 Injured
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines flight 243, a Boeing 737-200 took off from Hilo to Honolulu International Airport with 95 passengers on board. When the aircraft had reached 24,000 feet altitude, and leveled off, the upper forward portion of the fuselage ripped and tore itself free from an apparent failure of the structured aircraft. During the chaos that ensued, one flight attendant, Mrs. Clarabell Lansing was sucked out of the aircraft when pressure broke and fell 24,000 feet to her death below in the Pacific Ocean (Parker, 1998).
That was not the only issue that the pilots dealt with while trying to maneuver the aircraft into Maui; an engine fire broke out as well while they descended and landed safely at the airport. In total, 61 out of the 94 passengers on board sustained injuries and only one was in critical condition (Parker, 1998).
The Boeing 737-200 has an overall length of 100 feet and the hole ripped a huge 20 by 11 foot hole in the top of the aircrafts fuselage. The NTSB describes the aircraft looking like a convertible with wings. Their predication was that the aircraft had suffered from numerous small cracks in the skin and fuselage or be a result of metal fatigue. The investigation began and they found out the Boeing had put out a bulletin three months earlier for an inspection of the upper-fuselage around panel joints for cracks. The FAA stated, “If the cracks suddenly joined together…extensive structural damage and rapid depressurization of the plane could result.” The bulletin was put out for the older 291, 737-200 with more than 30,000 landings (Parker, 1998).
Flight 243’s aircraft was number 152 in production and the second highest aircraft with the most landings. Aloha flights make a substantial number of landings since they make nonstop commuter flights around the island. Plane number 152 had made over 89,193 landing in 35,310 flight hours. The 19 year old plane pulled up nothing that was out of the ordinary and investigators conclude with structural failure due to fatigue (Parker, 1998).
Figure 2. The color picture show Aloha Airlines jet with a large section removed from the roof of the fuselage, in Hawaii after an emergency landing from 24,000 feet. Adapted from “Roof Ripped Off Jet in Apparent Structural Failure; Flight Attendant Lost, 61 Injured: [FINAL Edition].” By L. Parker, 1988, The Washington post, Copyright 1988 by The Washington Post Company.
Reference
Parker, L. (1988, Apr 30). Roof ripped off jet in apparent structural failure; flight attendant lost,
61 injured. The Washington Post (Pre-1997 Fulltext) Retrieved from http://search.
proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/307009366?accountid=27203
Stress failure suspected in air mishap. (1989, Feb 25). The Windsor Star Retrieved from http://
search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/253750800?accountid=27203
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