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Passenger aboard MD80 advises flight crew of a crack in the upper skin of the left wing. Flight crew declared emergency and diverted to the nearest suitable airport when told the crack was growing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 623441 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200406 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl single value : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 25360 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 623441 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
En route, passenger brought to the crew's attention what appeared to be a crack on the left wing forward of the ground spoiler leading edge. We communicated through dispatch with maintenance and engineering. We at first considered continuing. Then a passenger explained the crack had been growing. Added to that new concern was the worry if the panel or part broke off might damage the engine. Additionally, if we continued on without having it inspected how might this be looked at in the press? These concerns in total without knowing the nature of the crack, caused me to decide to declare an emergency and land in ZZZ which was accomplished. A soft overweight landing at 135500 pounds was accomplished.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PAX ABOARD MD80 ADVISES FLT CREW OF A CRACK IN THE UPPER SKIN OF THE L WING. FLT CREW DECLARED EMER AND DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT WHEN TOLD THE CRACK WAS GROWING.
Narrative: ENRTE, PAX BROUGHT TO THE CREW'S ATTN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CRACK ON THE L WING FORWARD OF THE GND SPOILER LEADING EDGE. WE COMMUNICATED THROUGH DISPATCH WITH MAINT AND ENGINEERING. WE AT FIRST CONSIDERED CONTINUING. THEN A PAX EXPLAINED THE CRACK HAD BEEN GROWING. ADDED TO THAT NEW CONCERN WAS THE WORRY IF THE PANEL OR PART BROKE OFF MIGHT DAMAGE THE ENG. ADDITIONALLY, IF WE CONTINUED ON WITHOUT HAVING IT INSPECTED HOW MIGHT THIS BE LOOKED AT IN THE PRESS? THESE CONCERNS IN TOTAL WITHOUT KNOWING THE NATURE OF THE CRACK, CAUSED ME TO DECIDE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND IN ZZZ WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED. A SOFT OVERWT LNDG AT 135500 LBS WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
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.