Air Crash Investigations - Aloha Airlines Flight 243 - Explosive Decompression in Flight

On April 28, 1988, at 1346, a Boeing 737-200, N73711, operated by Aloha Airlines Inc., as flight 243, experienced an explosive decompression and structural failure at 24,000 feet, while en route from Hilo, to Honolulu, Hawaii. Approximately 18 feet from the cabin skin and structure aft of the cabin entrance door separated from the airplane during flight. One flight attendant was swept overboard and is presumed to have been fatally injured; 7 passengers and 1 flight attendant received serious injuries. The flight crew performed an emergency descent and landing at Kahului Airport on the Island of Maui. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the Aloha Airlines maintenance program to detect significant disbonding and fatigue damage which led to failure of a lap joint and the separation of the fuselage upper lobe.