Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morgantown, West Virginia 26502
Monday, December 26, 1988 8:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FUSELAGE SKIN 'FLAPPED' OPEN BETWEEN BODY STATIONS 1090 AND 1110 AND PEELED DOWNWARD FROM STRINGER #4 LEFT TO STRINGER #5 LEFT. A SCRATCH OR SCRIBE MARK WAS CO-LOCATED WITH THE LONGITUDINAL CRACK ALONG STRINGER #4. THE AREA OF DAMAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE AFT UPPER SIDE, FWD OF THE INLET FOR THE #2 ENGINE. THE CRACK HAD INITIATED AT MULTIPLE ORIGINS ALONG THE SCORE MARK AND HAD GROWN BY FATIGUE THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL. A STRIATION COUNT FOUND THAT BETWEEN 3360 AND 5040 CYCLES OF FATIGUE PROGRESSION WERE PRESENT. THE SCRATCH/SCORE WAS MADE BY USE OF MARKING TOOLS DURING A REPAIR PROCESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MORGANTOWN
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26502
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Day
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 108
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5077
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38390
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8148N
NTSB Number DCA89IA016
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 727-25
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-25
Aircraft Serial Number 18972
Certified Max Gross Weight 160700
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 114
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EASTERN AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33148
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EASTERN AIR LINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33152
Operator Code EA
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 Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ROC
Departure City ROCHESTER
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 807
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ATL
Destination City ATLANTA
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --