What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Panel detached in flight. During climb, southwest of hamilton approximately between 8000-10000' asl, a vibration and "grinding" type of noise was heard and felt to be sourced from somewhere low and aft of the cabin. CA and fo discussed both having heard
And felt the same and confirmed that all vital signs of the aircraft were normal (no messages, or any indications of any type of system malfunction or pressurization issues). It was considered that perhaps a load shift had occurred, yet the aircraft didn't make
Any pitch changes. Once stabilized at top of climb, CA transferred control and went to inspect the main deck cargo area as the load arrangement enabled being able to view the condition back there. Everything that was able to be viewed was normal, with locks up. A brief discussion with the observer crew member, confirmed that had felt and heard it as well. The flight continued normally with all systems normal. Upon arrival at the gate in cvg, maintenance came to ask how the airplane was. It was reported by captain to be in good order, except that this noise and vibration was felt. It was at that time that the maintenance person showed photos of the belly area of the aircraft and it was evident that a panel or panels located near the right ac packs had detached in flight and latches in the same area on the left side had come loose. Defect #A105596 was recorded, and dispatch was notified via email of the incident, giving approximate location and altitude, as concerns of falling debris and possible ground damage were now evident.
As the FAA filed it
PANEL DETACHED IN FLIGHT. DURING CLIMB, SOUTHWEST OF HAMILTON APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 8000-10000' ASL, A VIBRATION AND "GRINDING" TYPE OF NOISE WAS HEARD AND FELT TO BE SOURCED FROM SOMEWHERE LOW AND AFT OF THE CABIN. CA AND FO DISCUSSED BOTH HAVING HEARD
AND FELT THE SAME AND CONFIRMED THAT ALL VITAL SIGNS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE NORMAL (NO MESSAGES, OR ANY INDICATIONS OF ANY TYPE OF SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR PRESSURIZATION ISSUES). IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT PERHAPS A LOAD SHIFT HAD OCCURRED, YET THE AIRCRAFT DIDN'T MAKE
ANY PITCH CHANGES. ONCE STABILIZED AT TOP OF CLIMB, CA TRANSFERRED CONTROL AND WENT TO INSPECT THE MAIN DECK CARGO AREA AS THE LOAD ARRANGEMENT ENABLED BEING ABLE TO VIEW THE CONDITION BACK THERE. EVERYTHING THAT WAS ABLE TO BE VIEWED WAS NORMAL, WITH LOCKS UP. A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH THE OBSERVER CREW MEMBER, CONFIRMED THAT HAD FELT AND HEARD IT AS WELL. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED NORMALLY WITH ALL SYSTEMS NORMAL. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE GATE IN CVG, MAINTENANCE CAME TO ASK HOW THE AIRPLANE WAS. IT WAS REPORTED BY CAPTAIN TO BE IN GOOD ORDER, EXCEPT THAT THIS NOISE AND VIBRATION WAS FELT. IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT THE MAINTENANCE PERSON SHOWED PHOTOS OF THE BELLY AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT WAS EVIDENT THAT A PANEL OR PANELS LOCATED NEAR THE RIGHT AC PACKS HAD DETACHED IN FLIGHT AND LATCHES IN THE SAME AREA ON THE LEFT SIDE HAD COME LOOSE. DEFECT #A105596 WAS RECORDED, AND DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL OF THE INCIDENT, GIVING APPROXIMATE LOCATION AND ALTITUDE, AS CONCERNS OF FALLING DEBRIS AND POSSIBLE GROUND DAMAGE WERE NOW EVIDENT.