Heroes In The Sky: Calm, Confident Southwest Airlines Crew Describes Emergency Landing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Crew members of the Southwest Airlines flight that lost an engine appeared on CBS This Morning for their first joint interview Wednesday.
They spoke about how they landed the plane safely in Philadelphia after a passenger was partially sucked out a window and later died.
"There was a loud bang," said first officer Darren Ellisor, describing the terrifying moments after the engine exploded shortly after taking off from LaGuardia Airport. "The horn's going off, and the rapid decompression of the cabin -- all happening at once."
The explosion sent debris smashing through one of the plane's windows, and the crew in the cabin said the noise was deafening.
"Even though our ears had popped from the rapid decompression and there was wind and debris all throughout the cabin, in the midst of chaos, you have to just look at someone, and I think eye contact was the biggest communication through that," flight attendant Rachel Fernheimer said.
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The blast killed passenger Jennifer Riordan, a 43-year-old bank executive and mother of two. She was partially sucked out of the plane.
"The survival of 148 never eclipses the loss of one. She seemed like a woman with a profile of just being beautiful in her priorities. She seems like she didn't wait until it was convenient or easy to love her lord and her family," said captain Tammie Jo Shults.
As the cabin lost pressure, passengers grabbed oxygen masks while the flight attendants, who were working together for the first time, kept their cool and tried to comfort them.
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"We had confidence knowing that we were all going to make it, that we had faith and belief in our pilots," flight attendant Seanique Mallory said.
"The way that we all remained calm reflected on the passengers. They see that in us, because they look and see how we're reacting," flight attendant Kathryn Sandoval added.
"To communicate with our passengers, we had to have a very loud, stern, but caring voice," said Fernheimer. "I would just grab their hands, even if I had to stretch over into the window seat, and I would just look into some of their bloodshot eyes and say, 'Look at me, we're going to be OK, we're going to make it, we're going to Philadelphia, and we are here together."
Captain Shults and First Officer Ellisor managed to safely land in Philadelphia. Shults, a Navy veteran, credited her military experience for her quick and calm reaction.
As for the crew working together for the first time, they said they had bonded quickly that morning before the flight, discussing family and prayer groups.
