Boeing 747 accident near Miami, Florida, May 17, 2010
On May 17, 2010 at about 10:33 pm local time, a Boeing 747, registered N498MC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Miami, Florida (Miami International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
impact of the fore flap with the aft fuselage after fatigue failure of the right wing fore flap carriage assembly attachment fitting at position 6.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2010 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747 400F · all 747s on the register
- Registration
- N498MC · registry record · serial 29259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 17, 2010, an Atlas Air Cargo Boeing 747-400F, N498MC, lost a section of the left fore-flap while on approach to Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged when the flap portion impacted the fuselage. There were no injuries to the flight crew and the airplane landed without further incident. The cargo flight originated from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (BGL), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. According to the operator, the flight crew heard and felt a large impact after 30 degree flaps was selected during the approach. Postflight inspection revealed that approximately twelve feet of the right wing inboard fore flap was missing and had caused substantial damage to the aft fuselage. The separated section of the fore flap was recovered and examined. The examination revealed that a large portion of the enamel was missing from the fore flap attachment fitting of the carriage assembly and that there was a large amount of contamination and grease buildup around the lubrication fitting. Extensive corrosion byproducts covered up the lubrication passage in the attachment, which prevented passage of grease to the bearing, causing extensive corrosion in the bore and propagated by fatigue before final ductile separation.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Trailing edge flaps › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Trailing edge flaps › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Fuselage main structure › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 944 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 19,300 hours in all; 249 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,281 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 31, 2010
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cf6 80C2BF5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cf6 80C2BF5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Cf6 80C2BF5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Cf6 80C2BF5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlas Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: SBGL Rio De Janeiro
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
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.
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.