Second Missing Panel Problem Involving Boeing 757

A Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-200 bound for Detroit from Los Angeles made an unexpected stop in Las Vegas Monday, after a wing panel reportedly fell off in flight and struck the plane's horizontal stabilizer.

According to the FAA's Preliminary Report and flight information from FlightAware.com, a 3-foot-by-2-foot panel came off the plane's right wing approximately 30 minutes into the flight. A reported hydraulic problem forced the diversion to McCarran; a post-flight inspection revealed the panel had impacted the plane's tail.

This is the second time in two months a wing panel has stripped from a Boeing 757-200 while inflight. As ANN reported, an upper panel fell off a US Airways 757 on March 22, and struck the side of the plane's fuselage. The National Transportation Safety Board later determined the panel came off due to failed fasteners which were installed as part of an FAA airworthiness directive in 1991.

The NTSB called for inspections of all flying 757s after its determination... and reportedly found problems with wing panel fasteners on several other aircraft, which were repaired and returned to service.

It is not yet known whether the same issue -- or panel -- was responsible for the Northwest diversion.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: NWA332        Make/Model: B757      Description: B-757
  Date: 05/12/2008     Time: 1610

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Minor

LOCATION
  City: LAS VEGAS   State: NV   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  NWA FLIGHT 332 DIVERTED TO LAS VEGAS DUE TO A MISSING PANEL AND HYDRAULIC
  ISSUE. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A PANEL 3 FT X 2 FT CAME OFF THE
  RIGHT WING AND STRUCK THE HORIZONAL STABILIZER. LAS VEGAS, NV

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: UNK

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Descent      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: LAS VEGAS, NV  (WP19)                 Entry date: 05/13/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.nwa.com, www.ntsb.gov