Southwest engine failure

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: zorobabel
A very good reason to wear the setbelt at all times on an flight from now on.
Even if you do, that won't necessarily stop your head from being pulled through the window, which at 30,000 feet and 500 mph = death.

 

[bubbatime]

Her head probably popped with all that pressure differential(600-700PSI ish) behind it.

People said blood was everywhere.

Lady has died.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Amazing seeing the pictures of the passengers with the oxygen mask on and not being used properly. The oxygen mask is supposed to cover your mouth and nose.

 

[zorobabel]

True. Depending on how much the neck stretches , I might be able to pull it back after the pressure equalizes.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: zorobabel
A very good reason to wear the setbelt at all times on an flight from now on.
Even if you do, that won't necessarily stop your head from being pulled through the window, which at 30,000 feet = death.

 

[zorobabel]

I don't think this would actually happen, not even in space; at least according to some reading I've done a while back.

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Her head probably popped with all that pressure differential(600-700PSI ish) behind it.

 

[PimTac]

While a seatbelt may not have helped this poor woman it is the best idea to wear it anytime you are seated. I’ve seen people floating in the cabin during sudden turbulence. Not only does it protect the wearer but it also protects others from injury by having the unbelted passenger land on them.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: Richie
Amazing seeing the pictures of the passengers with the oxygen mask on and not being used properly. The oxygen mask is supposed to cover your mouth and nose.


The mask looks like it needs redesigned. Looks too small to cover the mouth AND the nose. Hence why everyone was wearing them wrong.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Her head probably popped with all that pressure differential(600-700PSI ish) behind it.


Airplanes are pressurized to the equivalent of 6,000-8,000ft of elevation when they are flying above 10,000ft. The atmosphere exerts 14.7psi at sea level. A scuba diver might see 3bar/44psi at 100ft below the surface.

600-700psi is way too much for a human to handle safely unless diving suits/helmets/UAVs and specialized breathing gases to avoid nitrogen narcosis and oxygen toxicity are used.

 

[billt460]

Didn't this happen to a A-380 a few years ago?

 

[GMguy84]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Holy moly! I hope she's not injured too badly - nothing permanent!

Apparently she did not make it.



Yup confirmed by NTSB she passed away. Apparently this is the first In-flight fatality for Southwest

Apparently plane was at 30K feet when the incident happened. RIP to the victim that got sucked into window

Flight info:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA1380/history/20180417/1430Z/KLGA/KPHL


very sad

 

[zorobabel]

Are there more than 1 mask per seat for each 3-4 group of seats? I'm thinking about lap infants here.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Hope this wasn't caused by some idiot using Marvel Mystery on the jet. That would be scary and the last time I flew ever. Cant fly now; my heart cant handle the high altitude. Besides, Almighty gave me legs not wings for exactly this reason.

 

[SZR48207]

Surprised it happened on one of their "newer" planes. (newer, relatively speaking)

That plane went into service in 2000. (http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/7/N772SW.shtm)

I've ridden on much older WN jets, since my local airport gets all the junker ones that don't have wifi or the refreshed interiors. While they are really creaky and worn out, they were all maintained well mechanically.

 

[thescreensavers]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Her head probably popped with all that pressure differential(600-700PSI ish) behind it.

People said blood was everywhere.

Lady has died.


There was blood on the outside of the plane as well

https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/livestory/w_900/44fbb767-dac2-4614-a5df-2f9525a89b5c.jpeg

 

[FowVay]

Blade root fatigue has been identified as the cause on the most recent Southwest CFM56 engine failure back in January. If I recall they had a similar incident in late 2016 also. The inlet cowling is what is being detached and disintegrating once the fan blade departs. They've had a punctured fuselage before but this issue took out a window and ultimately lead to a passenger's death. This is the type of tragedy we never want to see in the aviation industry.

 

[Mr Nice]

Was this fatigue on engine part.... or human error / oversight when working on engine ?

 

[SZR48207]

Won't know until NTSB does the investigation.

 

[FowVay]

Generally speaking, blade removal and relubrication of the root is done as routine maintenance. During this time the blades are removed from the disk, visually inspected, relubricated with dry film lubricant and reinstalled.

On component overhaul the blades will get a dimensional inspection and a fluorescent penetrant inspection also. We may see this heavy maintenance procedure begin to include some sort of ultrasonic or eddy current inspection in the future. Note that this is a CFM56-7 engine which uses the large twisted blade sets. They're different from the less powerful versions and this type of failure is specific to this engine nomenclature (that I've noticed).

Nicks on the leading edge of a blade can lead to stress risers and ultimately blade failure if it goes undetected for too long. As a rule any nicks need to be blended out. There is a critical area at the blade root that does not allow for any damage and it's always possible that this was a problem here.

Planes get a walk-around visual inspection prior to flight but this is never detailed to the level of spotting blade root damage. The inlet cowls stick out three feet making it difficult to see much if anything in the engine inlet.

 

[fdcg27]

There is probably no airline with more experience with this engine family than Southwest.
Every 737 Southwest has taken deliver of since the -200s has had an engine of this family up until the new 737MAX deliveries.
About one out of every ten 737 aircraft ever built has been delivered to Southwest.
Southwest has never had a passenger fatality on any flight with any 737 model using any engine prior to this tragedy.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that things happen from time to time but that this airline using this engine and airframe has had an enviable safety record over many years.
A horrible freak event doesn't change that fact.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: tc1446
Don't sit next to window either..........


I only sit by the window, I might have to rethink that now..........


Yeah … next Monday I’ll fly next to a big RR Trent … but, I normally fly center aisle or aisle … hmm …