Aloha Airlines  Boeing 737-297  N73711     (c/n   20209)

                                 

                                     The series 200 Boeing 737 has been the airliner of choice for Aloha for almost 40 years.   Initially
                                     they were leased, but in the 1980s they also purchased some new ones.  The current fleet are mostly
                                     second hand.....ooops, make that previously used, and also leased.     N73711 seen above at Kona
                                     in this shot by Bruce Highland in 1987 was one of the leased ones.  It is wearing a livery scheme used
                                     in the early 1980s.  The original scheme had an hibiscus flowered fin and rudder in red and yellow.
                                    as seen in Howard Chaloner's shot below in August 1975, also at Kona.   Anyway, one year after the
                                    above photo was taken (28 April 1988) this particular machine suffered cabin decompression during a
                                    flight from Hilo to Honolulu.  At approximately 24,000 feet some 18 feet or so of the cabin aft of the front
                                    door separated from the fuselage.  One cabin attendant was sucked out, but miraculously there were no
                                    passenger fatalities, (although they all got a very windy ride) and the aircraft was able to make an emer-
                                    gency landing at Maui Airport.  The cause was attributed to severe metal fatigue.  The effect of so many
                                    take off and landing cycles (the airlines in Hawaii have probably the shortest stage lengths of any of the US
                                    carriers) had hitherto been unknown.  The airline was deemed negligent by the FAA in failing to detect
                                    the fatigue damage, although the agency itself was partly to blame in not assessing the airline's inspection
                                    procedures.