Boeing 767-332ER accident near Atlanta, Georgia, April 5, 2002
On April 5, 2002 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Boeing 767-332ER, registered N1608, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (The William B Hartsfield Atlan). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 199 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Company maintenance personnel inadequate maintenance inspection that resulted in the in-flight separation of the APU inspection doors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2002 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · The William B Hartsfield Atlan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 199 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-332ER · all 767-332ERs on the register
- Registration
- N1608 · no longer on the register · serial 30573
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Boeing 767-332ER, experienced an in-flight separation of the auxiliary power unit doors while climbing to the assigned cruise altitude. According to the Captain, as the airplane climbed through 15, 000 feet, and accelerated through 320 knots, he heard a loud bang. He elected to reduce the airspeed to 270 knots and return to Atlanta. The flight landed in Atlanta without further incident. A review of maintenance records showed that the auxiliary power unit (APU) had been serviced by ground maintenance personnel about one hour before the airplane departed. The examination of the airframe revealed that both APU doors were missing from their normally installed positions. Examination of the APU door assembly failed to disclose a mechanical problem with the door latching assemblies.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,984 hours in all; 3,300 in this make and model; 179 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,311 hours in all; 3,027 in this make and model; 179 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,219 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 18, 2002; 263 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 407,000 lb
- Seats: 208
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric 706106 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric 706110 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 10:42 pm
- Destination: MXP Milan
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 11,889 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from ATL, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 12 | |||
| Passengers | 187 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1608 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.