- Date
- January 4, 1990, 09:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, FL
- Injuries
- 145 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2280Boeing 727-251
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 32577
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of company service personnel to properly service the airplane forward lavatory.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The crew of the airline flight heard a bang and noted the loss of no 3 engine power, in cruise flight at FL350, declared an emergency, diverted and landed. After landing the no 3 engine was found to be missing from the airplane. The engine was found. Examined and exhibited soft body FOD damage to the compressor blades. The forward lavatory external seal was missing the safety button and the internal seal was improperly installed allowing for leakage when the airplane was pressurized. The fuselage external skin aft of the forward lavatory service panel was stained with blue fluid.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2280
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-251
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21159
- Airframe hours
- 34,169
- Engine
- P&W JT-8-D-15, 6,000 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Northwest Airlines
- Registered owner
- Investors Holding Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 16, 1989 · 166 hours before
- Departed
- MIA · Miami, FL
- Destination
- MSP · Minneapolis, MS
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA, 105 nm away