A look back at the moments that shaped the skies we fly today.
April 28, 1988 — Aloha Airlines Flight 243
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 departed Hilo, Hawaii bound for Honolulu with 95 people on board. At 24,000 feet, a section of the fuselage roughly 18 feet long tore away from the aircraft without warning — exposing passengers to open sky at cruise altitude.
What happened next is one of the most remarkable stories of airmanship in commercial aviation history.
Captain Robert Schornstheimer and First Officer Madeline Tompkins kept the crippled Boeing 737 under control, executed an emergency descent, and landed safely at Maui's Kahului Airport — saving 94 of the 95 people on board. The one fatality was a flight attendant, Clarabelle Lansing, who was swept from the aircraft at the moment of decompression.
The crew's composure, skill, and sheer determination under conditions no simulator could fully prepare them for stands as a permanent testament to what great aviators are made of.
When Training Meets the Moment
Aloha 243 is taught in aviation schools around the world — not just as a lesson in metal fatigue and maintenance, but as proof that when everything goes wrong, the person in the left seat still matters more than anything else on the aircraft.
Aviation safety is built on lessons paid for dearly. At Cleared4Tees, we honor every member of the crew who holds it together when it matters most.
Explore the collection:
→ Keep Us Safe T-shirt → Flight Crew Tees Collection → Proudly Served T-shirt
Blue skies and tailwinds — The Cleared4Tees Crew ✈️
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