More details have been released about the engine explosion on Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 that killed a female passenger and forced a heroic pilot to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia.
According to ABCNews.com, the Southwest flight from New York to Dallas suffered a major engine explosion Tuesday morning that sent shrapnel into the cabin of the plane and shattered a window. As a result, one of the passengers was partially sucked out of the opening.
The female passenger, identified as Jennifer Riordan of New Mexico, reportedly struck her head as she was sucked toward the open window, killing her instantly. A man sitting in the row with the woman pulled her back into the plane, and witnesses claim a nurse onboard attempted to save the passenger’s life.
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“We heard this really loud bang, and then the window blew out of the flight, and a lot of screaming started happening,” passenger Courtney Padilla told ABC affiliate KOAT. “Before we knew what was really going on, you could feel the plane instantly dropping very quickly and the oxygen masks dropped.”
“I guess what happened is the engine blew up and busted the window, and the lady was actually partially sucked out of the window,” Padilla continued. “I talked to the guy who pulled her back in, and he said that she was at about her waist, out the window, and her head, when she flew out the window, hit the window and she died on impact.”
As for the rest of the flight, passengers were thankful that pilot Tammie Jo Shults was at the helm of the twin-engine Boeing 737. The pilot has more than 20 years of flying experience and managed to land the plane following the engine explosion without incident, according to CBS News.
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Due to the quick thinking of Shults and the composure she showed in a chaotic time, the remaining passengers onboard were safely evacuated from the plane once safely on the ground at Philadelphia International Airport.
As one of the first female fighter pilots in the United States military, Shults is being regarded as a hero for her role in the incident. The other members of the flight crew were also heralded for their calm demeanor throughout the terrifying ordeal.
Southwest released a statement on the engine explosion and the death of a passenger:
We are deeply saddened to confirm that there is one fatality resulting from this accident. The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the Customers, employees, family members and loved ones affected by this tragic event. We have activated our emergency response team and are deploying every resource to support those affected by this tragedy.
Southwest Airlines today has announced that it is accelerating its existing engine inspection program relating to the CFM56 engine family. The accelerated inspections are being performed out of an abundance of caution and are expected to be completed over the next 30 days. The accelerated checks are ultrasonic inspections of fan blades of the CFM56 engines.
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