Article

2018-04-18 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Female ex-Navy fighter pilot saved more than 100 passengers on Southwest flight after engine exploded at 32,000ft

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2018-04-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 I believe we may have found a nominee for the Sully Sullenberger Chair at Rantburg University. Do we have any seconds in support of a nomination ?

Posted by Besoeker 2018-04-18 07:34|| 2018-04-18 07:34|| Front Page Top

#2 She's got my vote!

Posted by Raj 2018-04-18 08:06|| 2018-04-18 08:06|| Front Page Top

#3 ...and she's kinda hot to boot.

Posted by Raj 2018-04-18 08:09|| 2018-04-18 08:09|| Front Page Top

#4 She had calm comm during the emergency. First rate pilot.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2018-04-18 10:40|| 2018-04-18 10:40|| Front Page Top

#5 NTSB says examination of blown engine shows evidence of 'metal fatigue'

Bird strike at 30,000 ft?

Turbine blades look OK.
Is it odd for a fuel explosion to blow forward?Maybe some maintenance tech didn't torque the cowling bolts?

Posted by Skidmark 2018-04-18 12:02|| 2018-04-18 12:02|| Front Page Top

#6 Southwest is a pretty good airline and it's no surprise they have good people working for them. It could have been some other problem but I have to wonder if some of those 737s are getting old.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2018-04-18 12:34|| 2018-04-18 12:34|| Front Page Top

#7 UPDATE:
Last night, the National Transportation Safety Board said a preliminary examination had revealed one of the CFM56-7B engine's fan blades was separated and missing. The blade was separated at the point where it would come into the hub and there was evidence of metal fatigue, chairman Robert Sumwalt said.

Posted by Skidmark 2018-04-18 12:40|| 2018-04-18 12:40|| Front Page Top

Posted by Skidmark 2018-04-18 12:42|| 2018-04-18 12:42|| Front Page Top

#9 Is it odd for a fuel explosion to blow forward?Maybe some maintenance tech didn't torque the cowling bolts?

No, it's not odd at all. WHen you consider the job of the blade is to pull forward (dragging the rest of the plane along with it) It's not surprising that the blade while separating, would keep on going forward, banging into the cowling and because of its shape, spiral around a bit (instead of a straight line trajectory) which explain why it hit the window in passing.

Posted by Seeking Cure For Ignorance 2018-04-18 16:34|| 2018-04-18 16:34|| Front Page Top

#10 Um. Inspect and replace as necessary all the fan blades on the 737-700 fleet?

Posted by Percy McCoy4369 2018-04-18 18:19|| 2018-04-18 18:19|| Front Page Top

#11 I had lunch with a retired Delta senior mechanic today. He explained the entire fan structure in great technical detail. Bottom line according to him... "failed inspection procedures."

Posted by Besoeker 2018-04-18 19:37|| 2018-04-18 19:37|| Front Page Top

#12 yeah... sure....

We know what happened...

Posted by CrazyFool 2018-04-18 19:41|| 2018-04-18 19:41|| Front Page Top

#13 ...and if she's a gun owner the left will start attacking no matter what great things she's done.

Posted by rjschwarz 2018-04-18 22:43|| 2018-04-18 22:43|| Front Page Top

#14 I always wanted the window seat. No more.

Posted by Ulaigum Ebbineng7056 2018-04-18 23:20|| 2018-04-18 23:20|| Front Page Top

#15 No more window seat for me. And I always feel better with a Navy pilot up front in a civilian airliner if the weather is crap.

Posted by Injun Bucket8891 2018-04-18 23:54|| 2018-04-18 23:54|| Front Page Top