What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 15 may 2004, at 1350 local time a Lockheed 1329-23E jet star 731 aircraft registered as N57NR operating on 14 CFR 91 flight landed at the Houston Hobby (hou) airport after declaring an emergency due to a reported flight control failure. After landing the aircraft taxied to the ramp without further incident. Inspection of the aircraft showed that the right inboard trailing flap had departed the aircraft and there was minor damage to the wing external tank and the lower engine nacelle. A search was made for the missing flap by this office and the Houston police helicopters, without any success. Investigation of the aircraft found that the forward part of the flap castings (p/n JW121-8R and -6R) was still in place. Visual inspection of the remaining portions showed Beech marks and corrosion at the failure point. The parts have been sent to the NTSB lab's in Washington d.c. for inspection and analysis. A jet star safety letter (omr B-55) for June 2004 was sent to the aircraft owners identifying the problem. This office is planning to send in a safety recommendation also.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 15 MAY 2004, AT 1350 LOCAL TIME A LOCKHEED 1329-23E JET STAR 731 AIRCRAFT REGISTERED AS N57NR OPERATING ON 14 CFR 91 FLIGHT LANDED AT THE HOUSTON HOBBY (HOU) AIRPORT AFTER DECLARING AN EMERGENCY DUE TO A REPORTED FLIGHT CONTROL FAILURE. AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO THE RAMP WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT INBOARD TRAILING FLAP HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE WING EXTERNAL TANK AND THE LOWER ENGINE NACELLE. A SEARCH WAS MADE FOR THE MISSING FLAP BY THIS OFFICE AND THE HOUSTON POLICE HELICOPTERS, WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND THAT THE FORWARD PART OF THE FLAP CASTINGS (P/N JW121-8R AND -6R) WAS STILL IN PLACE. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE REMAINING PORTIONS SHOWED BEECH MARKS AND CORROSION AT THE FAILURE POINT. THE PARTS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE NTSB LAB'S IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOR INSPECTION AND ANALYSIS. A JET STAR SAFETY LETTER (OMR B-55) FOR JUNE 2004 WAS SENT TO THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM. THIS OFFICE IS PLANNING TO SEND IN A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION ALSO.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.