What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Asaa flight 536 departed sea/tac enroute to burbank. Approximately 1625 PDT at FL 260 the flight crew experienced a loud bang followed by a rapid cabin depressurization. The crew executed a rapid descent and returned to Seattle. Aircraft landed without incident. On the ground a visual inspection revealed fuselage damage 2 feet aft of the forward cargo pit door, on the right side of aircraft. Further investigation revealed a baggage tug had hit the skin of the aircraft. The tug operator who had been trained in reporting damage failed to report this incident. (-23 amendment) *note* after analysis by structural engineers at the Seattle aircraft evaluation group of the photos of the damage to the fuselage skin it was determined that the baggage tug impact to the fuselage caused a hole in the aircraft's skin.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ASAA FLIGHT 536 DEPARTED SEA/TAC ENROUTE TO BURBANK. APPROXIMATELY 1625 PDT AT FL 260 THE FLIGHT CREW EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A RAPID CABIN DEPRESSURIZATION. THE CREW EXECUTED A RAPID DESCENT AND RETURNED TO SEATTLE. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE GROUND A VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED FUSELAGE DAMAGE 2 FEET AFT OF THE FORWARD CARGO PIT DOOR, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF AIRCRAFT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BAGGAGE TUG HAD HIT THE SKIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE TUG OPERATOR WHO HAD BEEN TRAINED IN REPORTING DAMAGE FAILED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT. (-23 AMENDMENT) *NOTE* AFTER ANALYSIS BY STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AT THE SEATTLE AIRCRAFT EVALUATION GROUP OF THE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE SKIN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BAGGAGE TUG IMPACT TO THE FUSELAGE CAUSED A HOLE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S SKIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.