Hearing Related To Southwest Airlines Fatal Accident Slated
PHILADELPHIA (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Federal transportation authorities will hold an investigative hearing next week related to the explosion of a Southwest Airlines plane engine over Pennsylvania that led to the death of a passenger earlier this year.
Flight 1380 was heading from New York to Dallas on April 17 when one of the Boeing 737's engines exploded at 30,000 feet. Part of the engine struck a window, shattering it and causing a partial loss of pressure that led to Jennifer Riordan, a 43-year-old wife and mother from Albuquerque, New Mexico, being partially sucked out. She died later.
A photo taken by passenger Joe Marcus shows the damage that caused the flight to make the emergency landing in Philadelphia.
Marty Martinez from Dallas was on the flight and live-streamed as the plane was making its emergency landing, saying "Something is wrong with our plane! It appears we are going down! Emergency landing!! Southwest flight from NYC to Dallas!!"
The one-day hearing Nov. 14 by the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington will focus on the CFM International engine fan blade design and development history, inspection methods and containment design and certification.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)