- Date
- September 17, 1979, 12:12 local (16:12 UTC)
- Place
- Boston, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 44 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- CF-TLUMcdonnell Douglas DC9
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 19, 2017
- Case key
- 95543
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
a fatigue fracture of the aft cabin pressure bulkhead which resulted in a rapid decompression of the aircraft's cabin area. This fracture initiated from a crack below the aft bulkhead access door which was discernible on the X-rays taken during the aircraft's last maintenance inspection but was not detected by the inspectors.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-80-13.
At 1212 EDT, on September 17, 1979, Air Canada Flight 680, a scheduled passenger flight to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, departed Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts. About 14 min after takeoff, at an altitude of about 25,000 ft msl, the tailcone along with the aft cabin pressure access door and a portion of the aft cabin pressure bulkhead separated from the aircraft causing rapid decompression of the passenger and flightcrew compartments. The aircraft was landed safely at Logan International Airport about 38 min after takeoff. Of the 45 persons aboard, one flight attendant received minor injuries during the decompression. The aircraft's oxygen system and its elevator control and engine control systems were damaged.
NTSB brief
NTSB’s brief of the accident, as it was printed: the coded facts, with the probable cause and factors.
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-80-13.
At 1212 EDT, on September 17, 1979, Air Canada Flight 680, a scheduled passenger flight to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, departed Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts. About 14 min after takeoff, at an altitude of about 25,000 ft msl, the tailcone along with the aft cabin pressure access door and a portion of the aft cabin pressure bulkhead separated from the aircraft causing rapid decompression of the passenger and flightcrew compartments. The aircraft was landed safely at Logan International Airport about 38 min after takeoff. Of the 45 persons aboard, one flight attendant received minor injuries during the decompression. The aircraft's oxygen system and its elevator control and engine control systems were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CF-TLU
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC9 (32)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 47196
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 28,425
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7, turbo fanPratt & Whitney JT8D-7, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Air Canada
- Registered owner
- Air Canada
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- BOS · Boston, MA
- Destination
- Yarmouth
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 13,864 total · 1,213 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 6,434 total · 753 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KBOS, 12 nm away