# NTSB CHI81IA074: Boeing 747, N602US, Minneapolis, MN, July 9, 1981

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: July 9, 1981
- Place: Minneapolis, MN · MINNEAPOLIS, MN
- Location: 44.9800° N, 93.2638° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Minneapolis, MN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9800&lon=-93.2638&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 327 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 21, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 123599
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI81IA074
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI81IA074

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4-0013   81/7/9    MINNEAPOLIS,MN      BOEING 747          CR-  0  0 14  SCHED INTERNATL PASSG SRV AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1620                    N602US              PX-  0  0313                            48, 17424 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-MINOR        OT-  0  0  0                            350 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        CLASSIFIED AS INCIDENT
        OPERATOR - NORTHWEST AIRLINES,INC.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          LONDON,ENGLAND              MINNEAPOLIS,MN
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           AIRFRAME - FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES: SPOILERS AND SLOTS-LEADING EDGE FLAPS,SPEED BRAKES
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FATIGUE FRACTURE
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        REMARKS- LOW CYCLIC FATIGUE NO.7 LEADING EDGE FLAP DRIVE TORQUE TUBE,PN65B-80390-60.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N602US (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 747
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Airport: Minneapolis Intl

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19810709054169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810709054169I), Jul 9, 1981: Boeing 747151, Minneapolis, MN, Minor damage. Flap drive torque tube failed when flaps extended, fractured fiber glass panel. Normal landing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.