# Accident 20020405011069A: Boeing 767332, Atlanta, GA, April 5, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 5, 2002, 17:15 local time
- Place: Atlanta, GA
- Airport: The William B Hartsfield Atla
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: DALA
- Location: 33.6450° N, 84.4331° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6450&lon=-84.4331&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1608 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 767332
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL02LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA075) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020405011069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL02LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA075), Apr 5, 2002: Boeing 767-332ER (N1608), Atlanta, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Company maintenance personnel inadequate maintenance inspection that resulted in the in-flight separation of the APU inspection doors.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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