The overlapping splice plates split the rivet load and doomed Flight 123
From Plane Crash Stories · 15:33
Show by OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT
A repair choice left a rivet row missing on a Boeing 747 - midflight the bulkhead failed. What would you do with thirty-two minutes left?The overlapping splice plates split the rivet load and doomed Flight 123In this episode we outline the chain of events that began with a repair choice and ended with a catastrophic midair failure, following the technical decisions, inspections, and everyday flights that carried the risk forward. We ask how an approved repair became a hidden countdown and what that means for everyone aboard.Date: August 12, 1985Aircraft: Boeing 747 registration JA8119Event: Rear pressure bulkhead repair using two splice plates instead of oneFlights after repair: 12,318 completed cycles before failureCasualties: 520 fatalities, 4 survivors- June 1978 tailstrike at Itami damaged the aft pressure bulkhead and removed the aircraft from service.- Boeing technicians repaired the bulkhead with two overlapping splice plates rather than the single continuous plate required by procedure.- The overlapping plates effectively eliminated one full row of rivets by placing a seam where continuous load distribution was needed.- JAL inspection signed the aircraft airworthy; the hidden seam escaped detection through subsequent checks.- After roughly 11,000 expected cycles to failure, the bulkhead catastrophically failed during Flight 123, eleven years after the repair.Tired of ads? Listen to this podcast and 200+ more ad-free on OBOMEDIA.Try it free for 7 days, cancel anytime: https://obomedia.com/en/gratis?ref=desc-7307849© 2026 Created by an independent creator of the OBOMEDIA Network. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the property of their respective creator, who is solely responsible for them, and are distributed by the OBOMEDIA Network on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without the creator's prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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