Description

On 17 April 2018, a Boeing 737-700 (N772SW) being operated by Southwest Airlines on a domestic passenger flight from New York La Guardia to Dallas Love Field as SWA1380 had just passed FL320 on the climb to FL380 in day VMC and was passing abeam Philadelphia when a sudden explosive noise was followed by significant airframe vibration, flight deck indications of a left engine failure and fire and of loss of cabin pressurisation. After following the prescribed immediate response procedures, the flight crew declared an emergency and diverted to Philadelphia. Fire indications ceased but a report from the cabin advised that a left side cabin window at row 14 had been broken by debris and a secured passenger seated nearby partially sucked out of it. That passenger was brought back fully into the cabin but subsequently died. Eight of the other 143 passengers sustained minor injuries but none of the five crew members were injured. After landing, substantial damage was evident on the left side of the airframe and to the left engine and related debris was subsequently found on the ground in the vicinity of the engine failure location.