Boeing 747 incident near Atlanta, Georgia, May 19, 2013
On May 19, 2013 at about 5:10 pm local time, a 2000 Boeing 747, registered B18701, suffered minor damage in an incident during approach near Atlanta, Georgia (Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta I). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 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
Failure of the right inboard foreflap outboard fitting due to fatigue and bearing anomalies on the sequence carriages which resulted in the partial separation of the right inboard foreflap. Contributing to the incident was the failure of maintenance personnel to detect the fatigue cracking and bearing anomalies during dedicated inspections.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2013 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta I · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747 400, built 2000 · all 747s on the register
- Registration
- B18701 · no longer on the register · serial 30759
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a partial separation of the right inboard foreflap during approach to the airport after the crew selected flaps 30. The crew performed a go-around and landed uneventfully. Examination of the outboard fitting that attaches the right inboard foreflap to the sequence carriage revealed a fracture in the lug. A portion of the fracture had a slow growth region consistent with fatigue that caused the lug to fail under normal flight conditions. The failure of the lug resulted in a skewed condition of the right inboard foreflap and subsequent partial separation of the foreflap. Examination of the sequence carriages for both the right and left inboard foreflaps revealed several discrepancies with the bearings including incompatible parts, flat spots, play, binding, and roughness of operation. Due to several other prior events, the manufacturer previously recommended specific maintenance tasks on the foreflaps and the FAA issued an airworthiness directive for mandatory inspections. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the foreflap components had been inspected or lubricated three times in the preceding six months, the most recent occurring two weeks prior to the incident. The records showed that the airplane was in compliance with all required and recommended maintenance practices for the flaps. However, maintenance personnel failed to notice the fatigue cracking in the lug and the anomalies with the bearings on the sequence carriages during the dedicated foreflap maintenance tasks.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during approach
- Aircraft structural failure during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Trailing edge flaps › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,847 hours in all; 10,644 in this make and model; 5,685 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 11, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,421 hours in all; 12,046 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 3, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 57,335 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 5, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 875,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF6-80C2B1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF6-80C2B1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: General Electric CF6-80C2B1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: General Electric CF6-80C2B1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: China Airlines Ltd.
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 10:50 am
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:02 pm from KATL
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.
Other NTSB records under B18701 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.