On April 28, 1988, a seemingly routine, 35-minute flight from
Hilo to Honolulu turned into terror when an 18-foot-long
section of the upper fuselage suddenly tears off Aloha
Airlines Flight 243.

The explosive decompression and roof loss sweep flight
attendant Clarabelle “C.B.” Lansing off the Boeing 737,
sending freezing winds of hurricane force through the
cabin, leaving passengers in the first five rows of the
plane completely exposed to the sky.

Miraculously, Captain Robert Schornstheimer landed the
plane in Maui with no further deaths.

The bizarre incident happened about 20 minutes into the
flight from Hilo International Airport to Honolulu, at 24,000
feet with 95 passengers and crew members on board.

Captain Robert Schornstheimer