An unusual airframe noise was heard during climbout on a B767-300. The noise subsided and the flight...

Narrative:

During climb through 13000 ft; accelerating to target climb speed; a noise was heard. The noise was determined to be located aft of first class in the cargo area of the aircraft. I made a call to the flight attendants to discuss the origin and cause of the incident. I requested the relief pilot to check the cabin for any unusual noise or vibration. None was reported to me. We then made a call to dispatch and maintenance. I requested information regarding cargo compartments and write-ups regarding container locks. I was told there were 2 containers missing and no reported lock failures. We discussed the noise; location and possible causes. There were no secondary system failures; fluid loss or vibration observed or reported by anyone during flight. I concluded the cause of the noise to be a container shift with the information at hand. We made the decision to continue to ZZZ. After the initial call to the flight attendant there were no further calls or conversations regarding any vibrations or unusual noise from the flight attendant or passenger during the entire flight to ZZZ. After arriving at the gate at ZZZ; I was informed of the missing pack access door. Maintenance was informed and a logbook entry was made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN UNUSUAL AIRFRAME NOISE WAS HEARD DURING CLIMBOUT ON A B767-300. THE NOISE SUBSIDED AND THE FLT CONTINUED. AFTER LNDG AT DEST; A PACK ACCESS DOOR WAS DISCOVERED MISSING.

Narrative: DURING CLB THROUGH 13000 FT; ACCELERATING TO TARGET CLB SPD; A NOISE WAS HEARD. THE NOISE WAS DETERMINED TO BE LOCATED AFT OF FIRST CLASS IN THE CARGO AREA OF THE ACFT. I MADE A CALL TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO DISCUSS THE ORIGIN AND CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. I REQUESTED THE RELIEF PLT TO CHK THE CABIN FOR ANY UNUSUAL NOISE OR VIBRATION. NONE WAS RPTED TO ME. WE THEN MADE A CALL TO DISPATCH AND MAINT. I REQUESTED INFO REGARDING CARGO COMPARTMENTS AND WRITE-UPS REGARDING CONTAINER LOCKS. I WAS TOLD THERE WERE 2 CONTAINERS MISSING AND NO RPTED LOCK FAILURES. WE DISCUSSED THE NOISE; LOCATION AND POSSIBLE CAUSES. THERE WERE NO SECONDARY SYS FAILURES; FLUID LOSS OR VIBRATION OBSERVED OR RPTED BY ANYONE DURING FLT. I CONCLUDED THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE TO BE A CONTAINER SHIFT WITH THE INFO AT HAND. WE MADE THE DECISION TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ. AFTER THE INITIAL CALL TO THE FLT ATTENDANT THERE WERE NO FURTHER CALLS OR CONVERSATIONS REGARDING ANY VIBRATIONS OR UNUSUAL NOISE FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT OR PAX DURING THE ENTIRE FLT TO ZZZ. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE AT ZZZ; I WAS INFORMED OF THE MISSING PACK ACCESS DOOR. MAINT WAS INFORMED AND A LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

Attributes
ACN	783456
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	783456
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

An unusual airframe noise was heard during climbout on a B767-300. The noise subsided and the flight continued. After landing at destination; a pack access door was discovered missing.