Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Flight Deck Forums > Rumours & News
Reload this Page >

SWA1380 - diversion to KPHL after engine event

Rumours & News Reporting Points that may affect our jobs or lives as professional pilots. Also, items that may be of interest to professional pilots.

SWA1380 - diversion to KPHL after engine event

Old 17th Apr 2018, 16:24
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,216
Received 12 Likes on 7 Posts
SWA1380 - diversion to KPHL after engine event

...front of nacelle 1 shredded/missing, not clear of cause (yet). Landed safe, no slides, evac via stairway.

http://6abc.com/live-southwest-plane...t-phl/3356147/
pattern_is_full is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 16:42
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Arizona
Age: 77
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Woman partially sucked out after engine parts break window.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...480008613.html
Niner Lima Charlie is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 16:54
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: CYUL
Posts: 880
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post


The female passenger is in critical condition with head trauma because of flying debris from the engine.
Jet Jockey A4 is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 16:55
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MA, USA
Age: 54
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/sou...ncy/index.html
Yancey Slide is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 16:56
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: In a Pineapple Under the Sea
Age: 61
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Pic of engine.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg
IMG_2581.jpg (954.3 KB, 186 views)

Last edited by WillFlyForCheese; 17th Apr 2018 at 23:34.
WillFlyForCheese is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:05
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
This will probably be raised as a serious accident and investigated by the NTSB.

This means details other than passenger comments will flow from the NTSB
lomapaseo is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:06
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: last time I looked I was still here.
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No doubt there was considerable panic/discomfort in the cabin. Well done to all, including pax.

I was interested looking at the LED's on left side. They would be out of sight from LHS FD. Equally the engine nacelle was out of sight. Much would depend on CA <10,000, or perhaps a pilot did have a look. That would be interesting to know. The reason I'm curious is that there have been engine blow-ups that damaged LED's and caused an uncontrollable UAP/roll when deployed. I wonder if they conducted a flight control/flap test at 10,000'. This is such a rare event, and certainly not trained for, so anything the rest of us could learn is immensely valuable.

I appreciate most would want to be the ground PDQ, but much can depend on where you are, where your target is and what the state of pax & cabin is. I'm not suggesting something so simple.
The report, which would tell us, could take a long time, but the passing of knowledge might be more beneficial if quicker.

Last edited by RAT 5; 18th Apr 2018 at 10:24.
RAT 5 is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:11
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well despite the missing inlet it appears that the bulk of the fan is still there:
ion_berkley is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:12
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Seattle
Age: 63
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question to the professionals here. One pax elsewhere in the aircraft, seemed to think they were already at 30,000'. Taking off from LGA and having just reached to SW part of NY, would they have been at this altitude that quickly? I question this because I think the situation with the pax next to the window might have been a lot worse at 30,000'. ??

Not minimizing the situation at all. Helluva an ordeal either way you look at it.
CityofFlight is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:22
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Earth
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
City,

SWA1380 had filed for FL380, and was climbing through FL325 when the immediate descent began. At this point, the airplane was approaching the Susquehanna river in southern Pennsylvania. The closest suitable airport with airliner services and emergency services was MDT, but they needed a distance for the descent.

PHL was a good choice as they had to go that far anyway during the descent, and SWA has a large base at PHL. BWI would have been another option, slightly further away.

You can view the lateral flight track and the altitude track.

Last edited by Feathered; 17th Apr 2018 at 19:30.
Feathered is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:38
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Seattle
Age: 63
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks Feathered. The news is filtering more details and the woman involved was indeed seriously injured with a major head wound. That window breach, at that altitude...I can't imagine witnessing such a horrific event.
CityofFlight is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:47
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Saigon SGN/VVTS
Posts: 6,625
Received 58 Likes on 42 Posts
From the CNN link above:

CNN aviation analyst Peter Goelz said a type of engine that is usually "extraordinarily reliable" likely came apart on the Southwest flight, causing today's emergency landing.

"I have been on scene on these kinds of disasters — they're very rare, the turbofan engine is extraordinarily reliable," he said. "But in this case it looks like it came apart midair."
My bold. Is this the best CNN can do in terms of an “aviation analyst”?
India Four Two is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:52
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by India Four Two
From the CNN link above:



My bold. Is this the best CNN can do in terms of an “aviation analyst”?
Groundhog day...??

Uncontained CFM56-7 Failure: Southwest B737-700 27 August 2016 - Aerossurance

Have to take a CFM LEAP of faith if flying on a -700....
VinRouge is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 17:59
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 857
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ion_berkley
Well despite the missing inlet it appears that the bulk of the fan is still there:
It does, but we can't see all of it and there may be a blade gone in the area we can't see.

If there is a blade gone then this is looking awfully awfully similar to N766SW, same airline and type. That ought to sound alarm bells at NTSB.

Accident: Southwest B737 near Pensacola on Aug 27th 2016, uncontained engine failure
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southw...es_Flight_3472

Compare this pic (from N766SW) for instance:
http://avherald.com/img/southwest_b7...a_160827_3.jpg

Or look at this one and think impact point slightly up and right (in image coordinates):
http://avherald.com/img/southwest_b7...a_160827_2.jpg

Not sure which window went, but that would be my guess from the interior photo.
infrequentflyer789 is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 18:04
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Where it is comfortable...
Age: 60
Posts: 909
Received 13 Likes on 2 Posts
Looking at the pic (SWA1380 - diversion to KPHL after engine event) of the window it appears that the piece of shrapnel did not penetrate the outer pane but came in at an angle, puncturing the skin adhacent to the window frame and then shattering the inner pane.


Edit: in light of later reports and photos this is clearly wrong, the outer pane is indeed missing (it appears to be intact due to the quality of the photo).

Last edited by andrasz; 18th Apr 2018 at 07:14.
andrasz is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 18:07
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Arizona
Age: 77
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Photos show the damaged window just aft of the wing. In the window photo above you can see the trailing edge and flaps.
Niner Lima Charlie is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 18:10
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by andrasz
Looking at the pic of the window it appears that the piece of shrapnel did not penetrate the outer pane but came in at an angle, puncturing the skin adhacent to the window frame and then shattering the inner pane.
Rough calcs I did at uni.. a single HP turbine blade has the same Kinetic energy as a 20mm round if it separates at the root. Takes a lot of containment to keep it all in, plus to keep a massively unbalanced core from shaking itself to bits, even if the FADEC catches it and commands an auto shutdown. Bit like a washing machine with a concrete block in it.

Could equally have been something heavy from the cowl, for example a big lump of bleed air valve for the engine ice kit, even if the blades had been contained.
VinRouge is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 18:22
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: left coast
Age: 72
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In the photo posted by Jet Jockey A4 the outer window shows no apparent damage. I know there is a hole in passenger windows to equalize pressure. Is it possible the window may have blown, not from "shrapnel" but as a result of the rapid decompression?
BrooksPA-28 is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 18:30
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Coincidence that it is Southwest again (August 2016)? How old is the aircraft? Maintenance issues?? Quality issues???
brika is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2018, 18:31
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by brika
Coincidence that it is Southwest again (August 2016)? How old is the aircraft? Maintenance issues?? Quality issues???
FAA released a Service Bulletin for mandatory inspections. No suggestion of poor maintenance routine or procedures during the last event.


Preliminary investigation determined that the fracture in the blade initiated from the fan blade dovetail.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to fan blade failure, possibly resulting in uncontained forward release of debris, with consequent damage to the engine and the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, CFM International issued CFM56-7B SB No. 72-1019, later revised, and CFM56-7B SB No. 72-1024, providing inspection instructions.
Looks to me the pax was sat aft of the fan. I very much doubt that an uncontained failure would make it back this far. Possibly debris from the cowl accelerated in the airflow hit the double glazing?

Looks like the port slat has taken a good old smashing along its length too. Fasteners open, but wouldnt be surprised if they have popped from the force of whatever happened.
VinRouge is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.