Narrative:

During descent into mia, in the process of leveling at various altitudes and making numerous speed changes, I noticed a very pronounced banging coming from the cargo hold. This noise coincided with any acceleration right deceleration of the aircraft throughout the descent and landing. I am quite certain this noise was the sound of improperly secured cargo containers. In-flight, I was unable to detect any noticeable change in center of gravity or trim required to maintain normal flight, so I feel that the movement of the containers was over a rather short distance. Although this apparent shifting of cargo presented no ctlability problems during my flight, I can't help but wonder if it could be a contributing factor in the number of tail strikes which we have experienced with the B767 fleet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 ON START OF DSCNT AND LEVELING OFF AT VARIOUS ALTS NOTICED BANGING FROM THE CARGO COMPARTMENT AND SUSPECTED FORWARD CARGO CONTAINERS RESTRAINT LATCHES NOT LATCHED.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO MIA, IN THE PROCESS OF LEVELING AT VARIOUS ALTS AND MAKING NUMEROUS SPD CHANGES, I NOTICED A VERY PRONOUNCED BANGING COMING FROM THE CARGO HOLD. THIS NOISE COINCIDED WITH ANY ACCELERATION R DECELERATION OF THE ACFT THROUGHOUT THE DSCNT AND LNDG. I AM QUITE CERTAIN THIS NOISE WAS THE SOUND OF IMPROPERLY SECURED CARGO CONTAINERS. INFLT, I WAS UNABLE TO DETECT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN CTR OF GRAVITY OR TRIM REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN NORMAL FLT, SO I FEEL THAT THE MOVEMENT OF THE CONTAINERS WAS OVER A RATHER SHORT DISTANCE. ALTHOUGH THIS APPARENT SHIFTING OF CARGO PRESENTED NO CTLABILITY PROBS DURING MY FLT, I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF IT COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE NUMBER OF TAIL STRIKES WHICH WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE B767 FLEET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.