Narrative:

I'm sending this in because we flew an aircraft with unk (but suspected) structural problem. On takeoff ewr a loud bang was followed by heavy vibration at 3L door area. Vibration and noise was so loud as to preclude normal conversation. I (so) was notified on climb out by flight attendant of the noise. We never heard anything, nor noticed any abnormal indications in cockpit. I went aft to investigate, where I immediately noticed noise and vibration. I called the cockpit and requested captain to illuminate left wing area. My vision was minimal, but I couldn't observe any problems. No flight control problems were ever experienced. I then informed captain and concerned passenger that I felt a panel was loose, causing the noise and vibration. I told them that there was no concern for the safety of the aircraft, although I was concerned, since I couldn't think of any access panels in this area. At airspds above 280 KIAS the sound was deafening, and could be heard all the way to the cockpit. We flew at 280 KIAS until arrival in atl, where we slowed to 250 KIAS. At this time the noise then became deafening all the way to touchdown. Postflt inspection revealed a 3 X 5 ft section of the fuselage, just aft of the main wheel well, and just forward of left atm, missing. The fiberglass had been ripped away, along with some metal flanging. The area was totally exposed. We never felt there was any danger to the aircraft/passenger, but we did elect to continue to atl with suspected, unk structural damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L1011 HAS FUSELAGE PANEL BREAK AWAY AT TKOF.

Narrative: I'M SENDING THIS IN BECAUSE WE FLEW AN ACFT WITH UNK (BUT SUSPECTED) STRUCTURAL PROB. ON TKOF EWR A LOUD BANG WAS FOLLOWED BY HVY VIBRATION AT 3L DOOR AREA. VIBRATION AND NOISE WAS SO LOUD AS TO PRECLUDE NORMAL CONVERSATION. I (SO) WAS NOTIFIED ON CLBOUT BY FLT ATTENDANT OF THE NOISE. WE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING, NOR NOTICED ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS IN COCKPIT. I WENT AFT TO INVESTIGATE, WHERE I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED NOISE AND VIBRATION. I CALLED THE COCKPIT AND REQUESTED CAPT TO ILLUMINATE L WING AREA. MY VISION WAS MINIMAL, BUT I COULDN'T OBSERVE ANY PROBS. NO FLT CTL PROBS WERE EVER EXPERIENCED. I THEN INFORMED CAPT AND CONCERNED PAX THAT I FELT A PANEL WAS LOOSE, CAUSING THE NOISE AND VIBRATION. I TOLD THEM THAT THERE WAS NO CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT, ALTHOUGH I WAS CONCERNED, SINCE I COULDN'T THINK OF ANY ACCESS PANELS IN THIS AREA. AT AIRSPDS ABOVE 280 KIAS THE SOUND WAS DEAFENING, AND COULD BE HEARD ALL THE WAY TO THE COCKPIT. WE FLEW AT 280 KIAS UNTIL ARR IN ATL, WHERE WE SLOWED TO 250 KIAS. AT THIS TIME THE NOISE THEN BECAME DEAFENING ALL THE WAY TO TOUCHDOWN. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED A 3 X 5 FT SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE, JUST AFT OF THE MAIN WHEEL WELL, AND JUST FORWARD OF L ATM, MISSING. THE FIBERGLASS HAD BEEN RIPPED AWAY, ALONG WITH SOME METAL FLANGING. THE AREA WAS TOTALLY EXPOSED. WE NEVER FELT THERE WAS ANY DANGER TO THE ACFT/PAX, BUT WE DID ELECT TO CONTINUE TO ATL WITH SUSPECTED, UNK STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.