SOUTHWEST AIRLINES’ MID-FLIGHT ENGINE EXPLOSION LEADS TO PASSENGER’S DEATH
Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 was forced to perform an emergency landing after the Boeing 737-700’s engine (model CFM56-7B) exploded mid-flight. The flight originated at New York’s LaGuardia airport and was bound for Love Field airport in Dallas, Texas when it was forced to perform an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport due to the explosion.
According to reports, Flight 1380 was at an altitude of 31,000 feet when passengers heard a loud boom closely followed by an instant drop in air pressure caused by a ruptured window as a result of the explosion. KOAT reports that 43-year-old Jennifer Riordan from Albuquerque, New Mexico was seated next to the window over the left wing of the plane and was partially sucked out of the airplane upon the explosion; holding on for several minutes before being pulled back into the plane by two other passengers. Despite an attempt to perform CPR by a nurse on board, Ms. Riordan died as a result of her injuries.
NTSB crash investigators will be working with Southwest, Boeing, and engine maker CFM International (a GE and Safran Aircraft Engines partnership) to determine what caused the uncontained engine failure aboard Southwest Airlines 1380.
The Potts Law Firm is currently investigating the events surrounding the Southwest Airlines explosion. If you or someone you know was injured or killed on Southwest Flight 1380, contact The Potts Law Firm to speak with an experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney at no cost to you.