Overview

• On April 28, 1988, a Boeing 737-297 flying from Hilo to Honolulu suffered explosive decompression when a section of fuselage and roof tore away, and the crew diverted to Maui.
• Flight attendant Clarabelle Lansing, 58, was ejected and was the sole fatality, and her body was never recovered.
• Eight people, including a cabin crew member, were seriously injured, and 57 other passengers sustained injuries during the depressurization.
• Investigators concluded the failure resulted from metal fatigue aggravated by crevice corrosion, noting the aircraft’s 19-year age and prolonged exposure to coastal salt and humidity.
• A passenger later told investigators they had noticed a fuselage crack before boarding, the aircraft was written off and dismantled, and Honolulu International Airport dedicated a memorial garden in 1995.