- ACCIDENT DETAILS
Date: April 28, 1988
Time: 1346
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Operator: Aloha Airlines
Flight #: 243
Route: Hilo - Honolulu
AC Type: Boeing B-737-297
Registration: N73711
cn / ln: 20209
Aboard: 95   (passengers:90  crew:5)
Fatalities: 1   (passengers:0  crew:1)
Ground: 0
Summary: The aircraft suffered separation of the top of the fuselage resulting in explosive decompression and severe structural damage. Fflight attendant C.B. Lansing was sucked out of the opening in the fuselage and her body never recovered. The plane named Queen Lili'uokalani, made a safe emergency landing at Kahuiui Airport on Maui. Failure of Aloha Airline's maintenance program to detect the presence of disbonding and fatigue damage which led to failure of the lap joint at S-10L and the separation of the fuselage upper lobe. Contributing factors were the failure of Aloha Airline's management to properly supervise its maintenance crew as well as the failure of the FAA to properly evaluate the Aloha Airlines maintenance program and to assess the airline's inspection and quality control deficiencies. In addition the maintenance program underestimated the need for inspections with the large number of pressurizations/depressurizations and humid salt air climate the plane was subjected to.
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