 N766SW, the aircraft involved, photographed at Phoenix Sky Harbor in April 2016 | |
| Incident | |
|---|---|
| Date | August 27, 2016 |
| Summary | Engine failure resulting in parts falling from the aircraft |
| Site | Over the Gulf of Mexico 30°28′19″N 87°11′17″W / 30.472°N 87.188°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737-7H4 |
| Operator | Southwest Airlines |
| IATA flight No. | WN3472 |
| ICAO flight No. | SWA3472 |
| Call sign | SOUTHWEST 3472 |
| Registration | N766SW |
| Flight origin | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport |
| Destination | Orlando International Airport |
| Occupants | 104 |
| Passengers | 99 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Survivors | 104 |
Southwest Airlines Flight 3472 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight operating from New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana to Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida. On August 27, 2016, the Boeing 737-7H4[a], with 99 passengers and five crew, 12 minutes after departure from New Orleans, was climbing through 31,000 feet and heading east over the Gulf of Mexico when the aircraft's number one CFM International CFM56-7 engine suffered an engine failure. A fan blade in the engine broke due to a fatigue crack. The separated portion of the blade rotated within the engine, moving forward, striking the engine inlet. Debris from the damaged engine inlet punctured the left side of the fuselage causing a loss of cabin pressure and damaged the wing and empennage. Oxygen masks were deployed to passengers while the crew initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet. The aircraft then diverted to Pensacola International Airport for a safe landing about 20 minutes later without further incident. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage, there were no injuries.[1]
The final accident report found that "The fan case had no through-hole penetrations and showed no evidence of an uncontainment." The studies made for the investigation looked at the path of the fan blade that broke and estimated that the fragments were ejected from the front of the engine at an angle consistent with the FBO (fan blade out) testing carried out when the engine was certified. The level of damage to the engine inlet was, however, greater than expected in the accident when compared with the certification test.[2]
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- ^ "NTSB Identification: DCA16FA217". ntsb.gov. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
- ^ "Project Summary: Aviation Investigation - 14 Docket Items - DCA16FA217". NTSB. Retrieved November 29, 2021.