Boeing 767-332ER APU Door Separation During Climb (N1608)

Incident Overview and Crew Response During the climb to the assigned cruise altitude, a Boeing 767-332ER experienced an in-flight separation of its auxiliary power unit (APU) doors. The captain reported hearing a loud bang as the aircraft climbed through 15,000 feet and accelerated through 320 knots. In response, the captain reduced the airspeed to 270 knots and elected to return to Atlanta. The flight landed in Atlanta without further incident. ## Maintenance History and Airframe Examination A review of maintenance records indicated that the APU had been serviced by ground maintenance personnel approximately one hour before the aircraft departed. Subsequent examination of the airframe revealed that both APU doors were missing from their normally installed positions. An examination of the APU door assembly did not disclose a mechanical problem with the door latching assemblies.