# NTSB DCA89IA016: Boeing 727-25, N8148N, Morgantown, WV, December 26, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: December 26, 1988, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place: Morgantown, WV
- Location: 39.6375° N, 79.9469° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Morgantown, WV, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6375&lon=-79.9469&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor, 108 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 11, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15911
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA89IA016
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15911/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA89IA016

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise
  - fuselage,skin - cracked (contributing factor)
  - fuselage,skin - loose (contributing factor)
  - maintenance,major repair - improper, company maintenance personnel (cause)

## Analysis

FUSELAGE SKIN 'FLAPPED' OPEN BETWEEN BODY STATIONS 1090 AND 1110 AND PEELED DOWNWARD FROM STRINGER #4 LEFT TO STRINGER #5 LEFT. A SCRATCH OR SCRIBE MARK WAS CO-LOCATED WITH THE LONGITUDINAL CRACK ALONG STRINGER #4. THE AREA OF DAMAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE AFT UPPER SIDE, FWD OF THE INLET FOR THE #2 ENGINE. THE CRACK HAD INITIATED AT MULTIPLE ORIGINS ALONG THE SCORE MARK AND HAD GROWN BY FATIGUE THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL. A STRIATION COUNT FOUND THAT BETWEEN 3360 AND 5040 CYCLES OF FATIGUE PROGRESSION WERE PRESENT. THE SCRATCH/SCORE WAS MADE BY USE OF MARKING TOOLS DURING A REPAIR PROCESS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N8148N (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-25
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18972
- Engines: P&W JT8D-7B 14000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Eastern Air Lines, Inc., doing business as Eastern Air Lines
- Registered owner: Eastern Airlines, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: AAIP, March 24, 1988
- Departed: ROC, ROCHESTER, NY
- Destination: ATL, ATLANTA, GA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 7,552 total, 5,488 in this make and model, 1,390 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: none

## 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 19881226056139I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881226056139I), Dec 26, 1988: Boeing 72725, Charleston, WV, Minor damage. Aircraft experienced rapid decompression. Emergency descent and landed. Fuselage skin failure caused problem.

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.

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