What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On April 5, 2002,at 1715 eastern standard time, a Boeing 767-332ER, N1608, registered to delta airlines inc, operating as flight DAL74, experienced an in-flight separation of the auxiliary power unit doors while climbing to cruise altitude near Atlanta, Georgia. The flight was an international passenger flight operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 121 with an instrument flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the separation. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The air transport pilot, first officer, reserve pilot, 9 flight attendants, and 187 passengers were not injured. The passenger flight departed Atlanta, Georgia, enroute to milan, italy, at 1700. According to the pilot, as the airplane climbed through 15, 000 feet, and accelerated through 320 knots, he heard a loud bang. The pilot elected to reduce the airspeed to 270 knots and returned to Atlanta. The flight landed in Atlanta without further incident. The preliminary examination of the airframe revealed that both APU doors were missing. Reportedly, the APU had been serviced by ground maintenance personnel about one hour before the airplane departed. (-23) the aircraft departed katl enroute to limc. During climb at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet the crew felt a sudden jolt and subsequent airframe vibrations. The aircraft was leveled off and airspeed reduced to 270 knots. Engine parameters checked normal and ther were no warning or caution messages displayed. Air traffic control and delta airlines dispatch were both notified of the problem, fuel was dumped and the aircraft made an uneventful approach and landing back in katl. After the aircraft landed maintenance discovered both APU access doors were missing and there was damage to the lower surfaces of both inboard elevators.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON APRIL 5, 2002,AT 1715 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BOEING 767-332ER, N1608, REGISTERED TO DELTA AIRLINES INC, OPERATING AS FLIGHT DAL74, EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE AUXILIARY POWER UNIT DOORS WHILE CLIMBING TO CRUISE ALTITUDE NEAR ATLANTA, GEORGIA. THE FLIGHT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 121 WITH AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE SEPARATION. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIR TRANSPORT PILOT, FIRST OFFICER, RESERVE PILOT, 9 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND 187 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE PASSENGER FLIGHT DEPARTED ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ENROUTE TO MILAN, ITALY, AT 1700. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED THROUGH 15, 000 FEET, AND ACCELERATED THROUGH 320 KNOTS, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE PILOT ELECTED TO REDUCE THE AIRSPEED TO 270 KNOTS AND RETURNED TO ATLANTA. THE FLIGHT LANDED IN ATLANTA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME REVEALED THAT BOTH APU DOORS WERE MISSING. REPORTEDLY, THE APU HAD BEEN SERVICED BY GROUND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ABOUT ONE HOUR BEFORE THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KATL ENROUTE TO LIMC. DURING CLIMB AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 15,000 FEET THE CREW FELT A SUDDEN JOLT AND SUBSEQUENT AIRFRAME VIBRATIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LEVELED OFF AND AIRSPEED REDUCED TO 270 KNOTS. ENGINE PARAMETERS CHECKED NORMAL AND THER WERE NO WARNING OR CAUTION MESSAGES DISPLAYED. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND DELTA AIRLINES DISPATCH WERE BOTH NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, FUEL WAS DUMPED AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL APPROACH AND LANDING BACK IN KATL. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT LANDED MAINTENANCE DISCOVERED BOTH APU ACCESS DOORS WERE MISSING AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE LOWER SURFACES OF BOTH INBOARD ELEVATORS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.