Falling to Pieces: The near crash of Aloha Airlines flight 243

Falling to Pieces: The near crash of Aloha Airlines flight 243 in 2400ft.

Aloha Flight 243 was a significant aviation accident that occurred on April 28, 1988, in Hawaii. The flight was a scheduled passenger service from Hilo to Honolulu operated by Aloha Airlines using a Boeing 737-200 aircraft. The incident resulted in an explosive decompression of the aircraft, which caused extensive damage to the fuselage and resulted in the death of one flight attendant.

The aircraft involved in the accident was registered as N73711 and had been in service for 19 years at the time of the incident. The flight crew consisted of Captain Robert Schornstheimer, First Officer Madeline Tompkins, and Flight Attendants Clarabelle Lansing, Cindy Cicchi, and Michelle Honda. The flight took off from Hilo International Airport at 1:25 pm local time and was scheduled to arrive at Honolulu International Airport at 2:30 pm.

About 20 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft experienced an explosive decompression when a section of the fuselage above the passenger cabin ruptured. The cause of the rupture was later determined to be metal fatigue, which had developed in the aircraft's skin due to its age and the high number of pressurization cycles it had undergone. The rupture caused a hole in the fuselage that was approximately 18 feet long and 5 feet wide.

The decompression resulted in an instantaneous loss of cabin pressure, and the air rushing out of the aircraft caused significant damage to the interior. A flight attendant named Clarabelle Lansing was standing near the front of the cabin when the rupture occurred, and she was swept out of the aircraft and fell to her death. The other flight attendants and passengers were able to grab hold of seats and overhead bins to avoid being pulled out of the aircraft.

The decompression also caused damage to the aircraft's control systems and made communication difficult between the flight crew and air traffic control. Despite these challenges, the flight crew was able to maintain control of the aircraft and make an emergency landing at Kahului Airport on the island of Maui.

After the incident, an investigation was launched by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine the cause of the accident. The investigation determined that the cause of the rupture was metal fatigue, which had developed in the aircraft's skin due to its age and the high number of pressurization cycles it had undergone. The NTSB also identified several contributing factors to the accident, including the inadequate maintenance procedures and inspection program at Aloha Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) lack of oversight of those procedures.

The accident prompted significant changes in the aviation industry, particularly in the area of maintenance and inspection procedures. The FAA introduced new rules requiring more frequent inspections of older aircraft and improved oversight of maintenance procedures. Airlines also implemented new inspection programs and invested in new technologies to detect metal fatigue and other structural issues.

In conclusion, Aloha Flight 243 was a significant aviation accident that highlighted the importance of proper maintenance and inspection procedures in the aviation industry. The incident resulted in the death of one flight attendant and significant damage to the aircraft, but the flight crew's professionalism and training allowed them to safely land the aircraft and prevent further loss of life. The accident led to significant changes in the industry that have improved the safety of air travel and helped prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.