AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT. AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10-10, N103AA NEAR WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA, JUNE 12, 1972

American Airlines, Inc., McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10, was damaged substantially when the aft bulk cargo compartment door separated from the aircraft in flight at approximately 11,750 feet mean sea level. The separation caused rapid decompression, which, in turn, caused failure of the cabin floor over the bulk cargo compartment. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the improper engagement of the latching mechanism for the aft bulk cargo compartment door during the preparation of the airplane for flight. The design characteristics of the door latching mechanism permitted the door to be apparently closed when, in fact, the latches were not fully engaged, and the latch lockpins were not in place. (Author Modified Abstract)

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1973-2-28

Media Info

• Pagination: 43 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air transportation crashes; Crash investigation; Decompression; Doors; Fuselages; Injuries; Locks (Fasteners); Loss and damage
• Identifier Terms: McDonnell Douglas DC-10; U.S. National Transportation Safety Board
• Uncontrolled Terms: Separation
• Old TRIS Terms: Ntsb
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00046293
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: File-1-0004, NTSB-AAR-73-2
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1973 12:00AM