Aloha Flight 243: How A US Plane Landed Safely After Losing Its Roof Mid-Flight

Explosive decompressions pose a significant risk in aviation, involving a rapid change in air pressure that can exceed the rate at which air escapes from a person's lungs. These events can forcefully propel unsecured objects and debris both inside and outside the aircraft. An example of such an occurrence transpired in 1988, leading to a Boeing 737 landing with part of its roof missing.

#OTD in 1988: Aloha Airlines Flight 243, a B-737 with 95 aboard, has a severe explosive decompression over Hawaii (US). Part of the passenger cabin rips open, killing one steward who is ejected from the aircraft. Despite significant damage, crew was able to land jet safely. pic.twitter.com/hfKOxYaMcV

¡ª Air Safety #OTD by Francisco Cunha (@OnDisasters) April 27, 2022

What happened?

The miracle story of how Aloha Airlines Flight 243 landed safely despite losing a part of its roof is one of the most incredible yet shocking moments in aviation history.

A huge section of the roof of an Aloha Airlines jet, carrying 89 passengers and six crew tore loose and peeled off mid-flight. What resulted after that was pure horror and a moment that transformed the aviation industry forever.

Disaster struck when flight attendant Clarabelle Lansing, who was serving the passengers, was sucked through the opening. The rest of the crew and passengers were left screaming in horror and were convinced that the plane "was going to fall apart before the pilot could land it."

Where and when?

The incident occurred on April 28, 1988, over Hawaii in the United States.

Let¡¯s take a moment to remember Aloha Airlines Flight 243.
On April 28th 1988 the roof ripped off the Boeing 737 at 24,000 ft. The chief flight attendant (the only fatality) fell from the plane and debris struck the tail section. Amazingly the pilot still managed to land safely¡­ pic.twitter.com/TAXzlW6KNo

¡ª Mothra P.I. (@Hardywolf359) November 17, 2022

Why did it happen?

According to the Washington Post, the twin-engine, 110-seat Boeing 737-200 jet was halfway into a 40-minute flight when it suddenly lost cabin pressure. The ceiling of the Boeing 737 was torn off, and a large section of its fuselage then followed, exposing passengers to the extreme winds at 24,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

How did the plane land safely?

This incident caused the controls to loosen, with the 737 rolling left and right, which then led to an explosive decompression, which tore off the cockpit door and 5.6 meters of the aircraft's roof between the cockpit and the wings.

The violent rush of air sadly caused flight attendant Clarabelle Lansing to be swept from the aircraft. Her body is still yet to be found. She was the only fatality, with all passengers seated and belted at the time.

Following this dramatic turn of events, getting the aircraft back on the ground as soon as possible was imperative. This prompted the flight to divert to nearby Kahului Airport on the island of Maui. The descent was also rather eventful, with the pilots having to contend with an engine failure. Furthermore, they couldn't tell whether the landing gear was down.

However, despite these challenges, the flight touched down safely just 13 minutes after the initial decompression. Its occupants then evacuated via slides, and 65 of them had been injured. About eight of these were severe injuries, and with only two ambulances and no facilities for such emergencies at the airport, the passengers were taken to the hospital in vans belonging to Akamai Tours.

Who was responsible?

In the aftermath of the incident, the aircraft had to be written off. Unable to fly elsewhere, it was dismantled on-site in Maui. The NTSB's investigation into the decompression found that it had been caused by metal fatigue.

Crevice corrosion was also a factor, including inadequate maintenance and inspections. Failures by the FAA, Boeing, and the Aloha maintenance department were all contributing factors.

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