Boeing 767-222 incident near Los Angeles, California, May 13, 1992
On May 13, 1992 at about 10:52 pm local time, a Boeing 767-222, registered N604UA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Int'L Arpt airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 3 people had minor injuries; 81 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A RUPTURE IN THE AIRPLANE'S AIR CONDITION/HEAT/PRESSURIZATION/APU DUCT, ALONG ITS WELDED SEAM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WAS THE MANUFACTURERS' FAILURE TO ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN APPLICALBE TO ALL APU DUCTS IN THE SYSTEMS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1992 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Int'L Arpt
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 81 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-222 · all 767-222s on the register
- Registration
- N604UA · no longer on the register · serial 21865
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PNEUMATIC DISTRIBUTION SUPPLY DUCT RUPTURED AS THE AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL WITH THE FIRST OFFICER AT THE CONTROLS. THE CAPTAIN FELT A SLIGHT CHANGE IN CABIN PRESSURE AND OBSERVED AN ADVISORY MESSAGE ON THE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION CREW ALARM SYSTEM (EICAS) THAT CAUTIONED OF A LEAK IN THE PNEUMATIC DUCT SYSTEM. THE FIRST FLIGHT ATTENDANT ADVISED THE FLIGHT CREW THAT THERE WAS SMOKE, DUST AND HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE CABIN. THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND TURNED OFF THE RUNWAY AT A MIDFIELD TAXIWAY. AFTER THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY THE CAPTAIN DISPATCHED THE FIRST OFFICER TO THE CABIN TO SURVEY THE SITUATION. THE FIRST OFFICER CONFIRMED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT'S REPORT AND ADVISED THAT THE PASSENGERS WERE COUGHING CONTINUOUSLY. THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO EVACUATE ALL PERSONNEL VIA THE EMERGENCY EGRESS SLIDES. THE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE APU SUPPLY DUCT RUPTURED ALONG THE WELDED SEAM AT FUSELAGE STATION (FS) 1219.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,401 hours in all; 902 in this make and model; 201 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,969 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 28, 1991; 2,608 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 300,000 lb
- Seats: 214
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: LAX at 11:00 pm
- Destination: EWR Newark NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 1,209 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 8 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 73 |
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.