# NTSB FTW88IA097: Boeing 727-223, N800AA, Detroit, MI, May 9, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: May 9, 1988, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place: Detroit, MI
- Coordinates: 42.219112, -83.349609 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2191&lon=-83.3496&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 112 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 11, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 22573
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW88IA097
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/22573/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88IA097

## Sequence of events

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

- Decompression, climb - to cruise
  - fuselage,floor - fatigue (cause)
  - fuselage,floor - cracked (cause)
  - emergency procedure - initiated, pilot in command
  - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, company maintenance personnel (cause)

## Analysis

THE PIC MADE AN UNSCHEDULED LANDING FOLLOWING DECOMPRESSION AT 30,000 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP BY FLIGHTCREWS NUMEROUS TIMES BETWEEN MAY 7 AND MAY 9 FOR PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS. PRESSURE BULKHEAD AT STATION 940 IN THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL CRACKED 15 1/2 INCHES DUE TO FATIGUE. AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN 55,437 HOURS AND HAD 39,983 CYCLES AT THE TIME OF DECOMPRESSION, ONE OF THE HIGHEST HRS AND CYCLES IN THE AMERICAN FLEET. BOEING AIRCRAFT ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN DATED MAY 4, 1979 WHICH WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH THAT ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF BEAD CRACKING IN THE 940 STATION WHEEL WELL PANEL.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N800AA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-223
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 19475
- Airframe hours: 55437
- Engines: P&W JT8D-9A 14500 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: ORD, CHICAGO, IL
- Destination: PHL, PHILADELPHIA, PA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 8,640 total, 730 in this make and model, 145 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

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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