Boeing 747-2R7F incident near Miami, Florida, April 19, 1997
On April 19, 1997 at about 11:53 pm local time, a Boeing 747-2R7F, registered N639FE, suffered minor damage in an incident near Miami, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
disbonding and separation of the right inboard wing fixed trailing edge panel during cruise flight, which resulted in damage to the inboard fore flap and inboard mid flap, and a subsequent precautionary landing at the departure airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1997 · about 11:53 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747-2R7F · all 747-2R7Fs on the register
- Registration
- N639FE · no longer on the register · serial 21650
- 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 airplane was in cruise flight when a pronounced airframe vibration started. At the same time, the #2 engine thrust reverser armed light illuminated, but no other lights illuminated. The abnormal procedures check was initiated, the #2 throttle was moved to the idle position, and airspeed was reduced. A precautionary landing was accomplished at the departure airport. Examination of the airplane by company maintenance personnel revealed the right wing fixed trailing edge panel had separated and collided with the fore flap and inboard mid flap.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,530 hours in all; 1,429 in this make and model; 152 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 5,427 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 63,503 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 11, 1997; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 301,848 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT9D-70A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlas Air
The flight
- Departed from: MIA at 11:23 pm
- Destination: BLG Bogota OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.