Pilot: What happened on that Southwest flight

USA airline regulators said late Wednesday that they will order inspections on engine fan blades like the one involved in fatal failure that killed a woman in a plane that made an emergency landing in Philadelphia. “I feel for her two kids, her husband, the community that they lived in”, an emotional Needum told reporters.

Erin Muffoletto said Riordan was a fellow Chi Omega sorority sister whom she contacted during the economic crisis in 2008 as Muffoletto struggled to find steady employment. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through, but I’m thankful that my family is here”.

“I’m very proud of him.This is a calling that he has and he did unbelievable”, said Stephanie Needum, who was on board Flight 1380.

Andrew said being a firefighter is his calling and because he’s also been trained for emergency situations he was never fearful during the incident on the plane. “And I felt moved to act”.

Mackey says fear came once again when she got back on a plane in Philadelphia to Dallas. Needum and retired school nurse Peggy Phillips began administering CPR for about 20 minutes, until the plane landed.

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines operate more than 450 aircraft that feature affected engines, with American’s total number being about double that of Delta’s.

“Why do we choose the seats we choose?” she asked. In total, the flight had 144 Customers and five Southwest Crewmembers onboard. The passenger was outside the aircraft from the waist up, other passengers have said. That could lead to missing some other crucial instructions from the crew that could save you life, Nelson said.

In a recording of conversations between the cockpit and air traffic controllers, an unidentified female crew member reported that there was a hole in the plane and “someone went out”.

But for Mackey, a University of Oklahoma professor, there was nothing uncertain about what happened to Jennifer Riordan, the only person who died. The cause of death was blunt impact trauma to her head, neck and torso, according to the Philadelphia medical examiner.

Two passengers managed to pull Riordan back inside when she was partially sucked out of the shattered window, according to witnesses.

After a preliminary inspection of the failed engine, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Robert Sumwalt said that one of the engines titanium fan blades had broken off and that there were signs of metal fatigue at the point of breakage.

The airline opposed a recommendation by the engine manufacturer to require ultrasonic inspections of certain fan blades within 12 months. At least one of those parts broke the acrylic of the window where Riordan was seated.

Investigators will complete transcription of the cockpit voice recorder in the next several days, and the NTSB’s maintenance investigators are in Dallas at Southwest’s headquarters.

Jennifer Riordan, 43, was sitting in the window seat next to the wing.

At times, Needum cried as he talked about Riordan. Officials have said they are focusing on studying the break area near where the blade connected to the turbine’s hub to determine what caused the break, and what flaws may have existed in the metal.

Needum’s wife, Stephanie, and his family are among those expressing their gratitude for captain and pilot Tammie Jo Shults who is being praised for her professionalism and discipline during the harrowing emergency landing. I had leaned over and grabbed on to her belt loops and her waist and wrapped my arm around her waist and tried to pull.