Routine Flight Turns to Crisis
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 departed Hilo for Honolulu with 95 people on board. At 24,000 feet and 23 nautical miles from Maui, an 18-foot section of the fuselage tore off, exposing the cabin to open sky.
Tragedy at Altitude
Veteran flight attendant Clarabelle Lansing was swept from the plane and never found. Despite major structural failure, the crew managed an emergency landing in Kahului. Passengers were evacuated using emergency slides.
Heroic Response Without a Plan
With no formal emergency plan in place on Maui, tour company Akamai Tours dispatched vans and staff to transport the injured. Two former paramedics among the staff organized triage on the runway. Sixty-five people were injured, eight seriously.
Findings and Final Tribute
The NTSB traced the cause to metal fatigue and corrosion on the 19-year-old aircraft. Passenger Gayle Yamamoto later recalled seeing a crack in the fuselage before takeoff. The aircraft was written off. A memorial garden at Honolulu Airport honors Lansing’s service.
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 became the center of a terrifying ordeal.
At 24,000 feet, a section of the fuselage tore away, exposing passengers to open air. With metal screaming and wind roaring through the cabin, the crew faced a life-or-death situation…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/8AfnW6nErm
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