On February 24, 1989, a B747 operating as United Flight 811 lost a cargo door shortly after leaving Honolulu. The explosive decompression that followed blew out several rows of seats, with nine passengers losing their lives. The aircraft returned to Honolulu, where it landed safely. The heroic actions of the 15 Flight Attendants and the pilots on the flight deck averted a far greater tragedy. In the investigation that followed, the NTSB recognized the crucial safety role Flight Attendants play i