Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New York, New York 10090
Saturday, September 11, 1993 19:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHEN THE WING FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AFTER TAKEOFF, THE CAPTAIN NOTED AIRFRAME VIBRATION. HE DUMPED FUEL AND RETURNED TO LAND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE NO 1 MOVABLE FLAP FAIRING WAS MISSING. THE FAIRING WAS LOCATED THE NEXT DAY IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM THE TAKEOFF RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE FAIRING REVEALED THAT THE TWO, LOWER HINGE BOLTS WERE MISSING. THE HINGES AND BUSHINGS SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF DEFORMATION OR FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The improper installation of the fairing by company maintenance personnel, resulting in the infligh separation of the fairing in flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/11/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW YORK
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10090
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 387
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5024
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 13 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17025
NTSB Number NYC93IA184
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 747-200
Aircraft Series Identifier 747-200
Aircraft Serial Number 20535
Certified Max Gross Weight 785000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 387
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 5 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2848
Airframe Hours 2898
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 4607
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77210
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code COLA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EWR
Departure City NEWARK
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LGW
Destination City LONDON
Destination State UK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --