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Technically, what she did wasn't special. But as someone with flight anxiety and occasional panic attacks, I would find it hard to be calm down in that scenario, especially when there's a hole in the fuselage and a passenger sucked out.
What defines hero is debatable though.
I equate it to driving a car. When I was a student driver everything was new and nerve racking. I didn’t develop any muscle memory yet.
20 years later I had all the basics down, but that was driving 60 mph. One drive on the Autobahn at double the speed made me realize there was a new skill I had to learn.
Now compare that to a professional race car driver who is taught, and practices again and again until it is second nature. They are perfectly calm driving 200 mph in close proximity with other cars.
Fifth uncontainted engine failure in less than three years
This latest incident is actually the fifth uncontainted engine failure in less than three years.
British Airways Flight 2276: a Boeing 777-200ER flying from Las Vegas to London in 2015 suffered an uncontained engine failure on its #1 GE90 engine during takeoff, resulting in a large fire on its port side. The aircraft successfully aborted takeoff and the plane was evacuated with no fatalities
Southwest Airlines Flight 3472: a Boeing 737-700 flying from New Orleans to Orlando in 2016 suffered an uncontained engine failure on its #1 engine during climb resulting in a puncture to left side of the fuselage causing a loss of cabin pressure and damage to the wing and empennage. The aircraft diverted to Pensacola International Airport, FL for a safe landing on runway 17 about 20 minutes later without further incident. There were no injuries.
American Airlines Flight 383: a Boeing 767-300ER flying from Chicago to Miami in 2016 suffered an uncontained engine failure on its #2 engine during takeoff resulting in a large fire which destroyed the outer right wing. The aircraft aborted takeoff and was evacuated with 21 minor injuries, but no fatalities.
Air France Flight 66: an Airbus A380, registration F-HPJE performing flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Los Angeles, CA (USA), was enroute at FL370 about 200nm southeast of Nuuk (Greenland) when it suffered a catastrophic engine failure in 2017. The crew descended the aircraft to FL310 and diverted to Goose Bay, NL (Canada) for a safe landing about 2 hours later.
Southwest Airlines Flight 1380: a Boeing 737-700 flying from New York to Dallas in 2018 suffered an uncontained engine failure on its #1 engine during flight, damaging the fuselage and resulting in a window failing explosively. The aircraft landed safely in Philadelphia with some minor injuries and one reported fatality.
I equate it to driving a car. When I was a student driver everything was new and nerve racking. I didn’t develop any muscle memory yet.
20 years later I had all the basics down, but that was driving 60 mph. One drive on the Autobahn at double the speed made me realize there was a new skill I had to learn.
Now compare that to a professional race car driver who is taught, and practices again and again until it is second nature. They are perfectly calm driving 200 mph in close proximity with other cars.
When I drive, I don't believe it's likely to crash soon.
I would say sitting before the engine or the last few rows of the place would be the safer bet from incidents like this. Thankfully neither of these planes ended up with a giant gaping hole in the fuselage
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the accident on the Aloha Airlines B737 was caused by metal fatigue exacerbated by crevice corrosion. The aircraft was 19 years old and operated in a coastal environment, with exposure to salt and humidity. During an interview, passenger Gayle Yamamoto told investigators that she had noticed a crack in the fuselage upon boarding, but did not notify anyone.
For the aircraft production number 292 (B-737) and after (the aircraft in the accident was production line number 152), an additional outer layer of skin or doubler sheet at the lap joint of the fuselage was added.
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Of the oldest Southwest Airlines B737-700s starting with line #1 (21.2 years old) that is the third one to have a major failure
1 N707SA
2 N708SW
3 N709SW
4 N700GS
6 N701GS
12 N703SW
14 N799SW
15 N704SW
20 N705SW
24 N706SW
34 N710SW
38 N711HK
41 N798SW
53 N712SW
54 N713SW
61 N714CB
62 N715SW
64 N716SW
70 N717SA
71 N718SW
82 N719SW
83 N270WN
109 N271LV
121 N720WN
144 N739GB
155 N740SW
157 N741SA
172 N742SW
175 N743SW
199 N723SW
201 N724SW
203 N7830A
208 N725SW
213 N726SW
221 N7816B
232 N744SW
237 N745SW
274 N727SW
276 N728SW
278 N729SW
284 N730SW
299 N746SW
306 N747SA
318 N731SA
319 N732SW
320 N733SA
324 N734SA
331 N748SW
343 N749SW
354 N735SA
357 N736SA
358 N737JW
360 N738CB
366 N750SA
373 N751SW
387 N752SW
396 N7836A
400 N753SW 22 July 2013. Collapse of its front landing gear while landing at LaGuardia, injuring 9 people (written off)
416 N754SW
417 N7818L
419 N755SA
422 N756SA
425 N757LV
437 N758SW
448 N759GS
468 N760SW
495 N761RR
512 N762SW
520 N763SW
521 N764SW
525 N765SW
532 N560WN
537 N766SW - 27 August 2016, uncontained engine failure (returned to active service)
541 N767SW
580 N768SW
592 N769SW
595 N770SA
599 N771SA
601 N772SW - 17 April 2018 uncontained engine failure (in storage during investigation)
Fatigue cannot be inspected. All that can be inspected, is to see if fatigue cracks have already started in the part. The manufacturer, Safran/GE, has miscalculated the fatigue life of the titanium blades. The planned life of the blades must be reduced, and new blades should replace older blades. Inspection of parts is not adequate to insure safety, and the FAA is a major fail, putting corporate profits ahead of human safety. The FAA is doing what GE/Safran wants, not what is required.
The fan containment ring failed. The FAA should force a redesign. Oh, that would cost GE money, so won't happen.
Last edited by Graywhiskers; 04-23-2018 at 07:13 AM..
Fatigue cannot be inspected. All that can be inspected, is to see if fatigue cracks have already started in the part. The manufacturer, Safran/GE, has miscalculated the fatigue life of the titanium blades. The planned life of the blades must be reduced, and new blades should replace older blades. Inspection of parts is not adequate to insure safety, and the FAA is a major fail, putting corporate profits ahead of human safety. The FAA is doing what GE/Safran wants, not what is required.
The fan containment ring failed. The FAA should force a redesign. Oh, that would cost GE money, so won't happen.
Unlikely. There have been large numbers of these fans run to end of life without problems. There have been a few failures but the vast majority make it through to the replacement point. That would suggest there is also a random failure mechanism driven by an unknown cause. These things will never be perfect. Birds will assure some failures. But the rate is low enough to live with.
It might also be good to note that SW has been cancelling some flights to get engines inspected. Probably running down and checking all the ones with high cycles on them.
Unlikely. There have been large numbers of these fans run to end of life without problems. There have been a few failures but the vast majority make it through to the replacement point. That would suggest there is also a random failure mechanism driven by an unknown cause. These things will never be perfect. Birds will assure some failures. But the rate is low enough to live with.
It might also be good to note that SW has been cancelling some flights to get engines inspected. Probably running down and checking all the ones with high cycles on them.
No. Material properties are statistical. The fact many engines meet the desired life is irrelevant. Usually aircraft engine parts are designed to minus 3 sigma reliability. There should be no failures. The few failures is the problem. Note other manufacturers do not have this problem. There is now physical proof that the fan blades should have an earlier retirement life.
Bird strikes are a problem, but this failure was not due to a bird strike.
The rate is not low enough to live with, since this catastrophic failure was entirely preventable if new fan blades had been installed on the engine.
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Fifth uncontainted engine failure in less than three years
