Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90055
Thursday, August 10, 1989 12:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CREW OF CONTINENTAL FLIGHT 1223, A BOEING 727, NOTED A SEVERE FLOOR VIBRATION BETWEEN PASSENGER ROWS 21 AND 26 WHILE AT FL310 AT A CRUISE SPEED OF 0.8 MACH. THE CREW SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO 280 KTS IAS, DESCENDED TO FL240 AND PROCEEDED TO LOS ANGELES WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY. A 15 1/2 INCH CONTINUOUS CRACK WAS FOUND ALONG A ROW OF RIVETS AT THE FLOOR LINE IN THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL. THE CRACK WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO TWO PREVIOUS REPAIRS. THE CRACKS APPREARED TO BE FROM FATIGUE. THE REPAIR OF THE PANEL INVOLOVED INSTALLATION OF A DOUBLE PLATE OVER THE REGION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE RIGHT GEAR WHEEL WELL.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90055
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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 148
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1555
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40613
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88709
NTSB Number LAX89IA315
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 727-224
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-224
Aircraft Serial Number 19800
Certified Max Gross Weight 142000
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 134
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 3 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 64986
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY SUITE 1900
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4609
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77210
Operator Code
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SAT
Departure City SAN ANTONIO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --