Accident description
Last updated: 19 May 2013
| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 23 AUG 1995 |
| Time: | 20:13 |
| Type: | Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 1 |
| Operator: | Delta Air Lines |
| Registration: | N781DL |
| C/n / msn: | 1003 |
| First flight: | 1971 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 52210 |
| Cycles: | 25813 |
| Engines: | 3 Rolls Royce RB211-22B |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 226 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 236 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Pacific Ocean, 720km W Los Angeles (Pacific Ocean) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX), United States of America |
| Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 157 |
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." Sources:
» Air Safety Week 9:37 25.09.1995 (6)
» ICAO Adrep Summary 5/96 (#38)
» NTSB id LAX95FA303
» Scramble 198(60)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Los Angeles International Airport, CA to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 4082 km (2551 miles).
Distance from Los Angeles International Airport, CA to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 4082 km (2551 miles).
