Date:	Wednesday 23 August 1995
Time:	20:13
Type:	Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 1
Owner/operator:	Delta Air Lines
Registration:	N781DL
MSN:	1003
Year of manufacture:	1971
Total airframe hrs:	52210 hours
Cycles:	25813 flights
Engine model:	Rolls-Royce RB211-22B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 236
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	720km W of Los Angeles, CA, USA -   Pacific Ocean
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX)
Destination airport:	Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL)
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A sudden decompression at FL330 caused severe damage to the airframe: 19 stringer fittings were damaged at Station 1800, and the rear bulkhead separated from the fuselage crown. The TriStar crew initiated an emergency descent to FL140 and returned to Los Angeles and landed safely at 22:17 hours. Due to the cost of repairs, Delta Airlines subsequently retired the aircraft. The aircraft was purchased by Lockheed Aircraft for aging aircraft testing. On October 11, 1995, the aircraft was ferried to Dobbins AFB, Marietta, GA.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Inadequate certification/approval of the airframe structure. Contributing was the lack of required inspections of the failure area."

Air Safety Week 9:37 25 September 1995 (6)
ICAO Adrep Summary 5/96 (#38)
NTSB id LAX95FA303
Scramble 198(60)

photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; Miami International Airport, FL (MIA); March 1992

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