Nearly sucked out of the Window, Soutwest Air Flight...

[gunrunner505]

One photo I saw shows about half the fan section and it looks intact but the entire inlet cowl is missing. I haven't seen any pictures of the rest of the engine or damage further back like a turbine section taking the day off. That had to be a very scary few minutes.

[flenna]

Geeezzzz.... This is like something out of a horror movie. I couldn't imagine what that was like for those people.

[Pappabear]

I am really sorry to hear about this, and my thoughts are with the family that lost a loved one.

I have a lot of friends that work at Southwest. This is the first time they have ever had a fatality. Believe me, they are definitely taking this very seriously.

I do as well, my next door neihbor is a SW mechanic, and he is pretty buttoned up. I hope this is the last of such shit storms.

PB

[elephant]

from the photos I have seen, it doesn't look like the fan or the gearbox malfunctioned because it looked to be intact.

It appears the fan shroud blew apart. The shroud does a few things1) The duct is convergent hence the velocity of air also increases producing larger thrust.(2) The bypass airflow cools the main engine unlike a propeller aeroplane. (3) The air flow is also directed and merged with the flow through the main engine hence reducing the EGT/TGT considerably. (4) The shroud also reduces the chopping sound of the propeller and makes the engine quieter. (5) The lining of the shroud is perforated and takes exhaust heat to de-ice, or to prevent ice build up on the front housing.

Regardless, the air pressure inside of the shroud housing is usually pretty high, but not high enough to blow the shroud made of composites, aluminum and titanium completely apart. Unless there was water trapped in the housing and somehow the heat turned the water into steam and turned the fan housing into a pressure cooker bomb.

[Averageman]

FOD sucked in during take off?

[OH58D]

The SW pilot is Tammi Jo Shults, one of the first Navy Fighter Pilots. From Heavy.com:

Tammie Jo Shults, Southwest Pilot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

https://heavy.com/news/2018/04/tammi...0-engine-hero/

[AKDoug]

I don't think wearing or not wearing a seatbelt played into this. Your upper torso could easily be sucked out that window even if you are belted in tight.

[Averageman]

You know I've never had a good feeling about the trend where people bring "comfort pets" with them on planes.
I can only imagine how a medium sized dog would react and how people would react to the chaos caused by that combination of events.

[Pilot1]

from the photos I have seen, it doesn't look like the fan or the gearbox malfunctioned because it looked to be intact.

It appears the fan shroud blew apart. The shroud does a few things1) The duct is convergent hence the velocity of air also increases producing larger thrust.(2) The bypass airflow cools the main engine unlike a propeller aeroplane. (3) The air flow is also directed and merged with the flow through the main engine hence reducing the EGT/TGT considerably. (4) The shroud also reduces the chopping sound of the propeller and makes the engine quieter. (5) The lining of the shroud is perforated and takes exhaust heat to de-ice, or to prevent ice build up on the front housing.

Regardless, the air pressure inside of the shroud housing is usually pretty high, but not high enough to blow the shroud made of composites, aluminum and titanium completely apart. Unless there was water trapped in the housing and somehow the heat turned the water into steam and turned the fan housing into a pressure cooker bomb.

Fatigue of some of the components of the fan shroud? It failed to contain the parts, and fan blades that seem to have exploded for some reason. Maybe a missing blade, or blades, and out of balance? It could have ingested something. Curious to see the NTSB report.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

You know I've never had a good feeling about the trend where people bring "comfort pets" with them on planes.
I can only imagine how a medium sized dog would react and how people would react to the chaos caused by that combination of events.

And some idiot stealing your oxygen mask for their cat....