GENERAL INFORMATION FOR NTSB REPORT: DCA18MA142
| Data Source |
NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT/INCIDENT DATABASE |
| NTSB Report Nbr |
DCA18MA142 |
| Event Id |
20180417X23642 |
| Local Date |
04/17/2018 |
| Local Time |
1503 |
| State |
PA |
| City |
PHILADELPHIA |
| Airport Name |
PHILADELPHIA |
| Event Type |
ACCIDENT |
| Injury Severity |
FATAL |
| Record Status |
FINAL |
| Event Location |
OFF AIRPORT/AIRSTRIP |
WEATHER INFORMATION
| Basic Weather Conditions |
VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL COND |
| Light Condition |
DAY |
| Cloud Height above Ground Level (ft) |
0 |
| Ceiling Height above Ground Level (ft) |
0 |
| Wind Direction (deg) |
0 |
| Wind Condition Flag |
U |
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
Aircraft 1
| Type of Operation |
PART 121: AIR CARRIER |
| Registration Number |
N772SW |
| Aircraft Make |
BOEING |
| Aircraft Model |
737 |
| Aircraft Series |
7H4 |
| Aircraft Damage |
SUBSTANTIAL |
| Aircraft Fire |
NONE |
| Aircraft Explosion |
NONE |
| Aircraft Type |
AIRPLANE |
| Aircraft Homebuilt |
NO |
| Phase of Flight |
ENROUTE-CLIMB TO CRUISE |
| Category of Operation |
SCHEDULED |
| Flight Plan Filed |
IFR |
| Domestic/International |
DOMESTIC |
| Passenger/Cargo |
PASSENGER ONLY |
| Operator Name |
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO |
| Owner Name |
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO |
| Number of Passenger Seats |
149 |
| Number of Engines |
2 |
| ELT Installed |
UNKNOWN |
| ELT Operated |
UNKNOWN |
| Departure Airport Id |
LGA |
| Departure City |
NEW YORK |
| Departure State |
NEW YORK |
| Last Departure Point |
UNKNOWN |
| Destination Airport Id |
DAL |
| Destination City |
DALLAS |
| Destination State |
TEXAS |
| Runway Id |
27L |
| Runway Length |
12000 |
| Runway Width |
200 |
| Air Carrier Operating Certificates |
YES |
| Air Carrier Other Operating Certificates |
UNKNOWN |
| Cert Max Gross Wgt |
154500 |
| Landing Gear |
FIXD |
ENGINE INFORMATION
Aircraft 1 - Engine : #1
| Engine Type |
TURBO FAN |
| Engine Manufactuer
| CFM INTL. |
| Engine Model
| CFM56 SERIES |
Aircraft 1 - Engine : #2
| Engine Type |
TURBO FAN |
| Engine Manufactuer
| CFM INTL. |
| Engine Model
| CFM56 SERIES |
INJURY INFORMATION
Injury Summary for Aircraft 1
| |
Fatal |
Serious |
Minor |
None |
| Crew |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Pass |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Sequence of Events for Aircraft 1
Occurrence Sequence
| Occurrence Sequence # |
Occurrence Sequence Description |
| 1 |
ENROUTE-CLIMB TO CRUISE POWERPLANT SYS/COMP MALF/FAIL |
Findings
| Finding # |
Finding Description |
Cause/Factor |
| 1 |
AIRCRAFT-AIRCRAFT POWER PLANT-ENGINE (TURBINE/TURBOPROP)-COMPRESSOR SECTION-FATIGUE/WEAR/CORROSION |
C |
| 2 |
AIRCRAFT-AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES-NACELLES/PYLONS STRUCTURE-NACELLE/PYLON MISC STRUCTURE-DAMAGED/DEGRADED |
C |
| 3 |
AIRCRAFT-AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES-WINDOWS-WINDSHIELD SYSTEM-PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WINDOWS-DAMAGED/DEGRADED |
C |
| 4 |
ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES-MANAGEMENT-RESOURCES-AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS/INFO-FAA/REGULATOR |
|
| 5 |
PERSONNEL ISSUES-ACTION/DECISION-ACTION-LACK OF ACTION-CABIN CREW |
|
AIRCRAFT 1 PRELIMINARY REPORT
The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-19/03.
On April 17, 2018, about 1103 eastern daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 1380, a Boeing 737-7H4, N772SW, experienced a left engine failure while climbing through flight level 320 en route to the flight's assigned cruise altitude. The flight had departed from LaGuardia Airport, Queens, New York, about 30 minutes earlier. As a result of the engine failure, the flight crew conducted an emergency descent and diverted to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Portions of the left engine inlet and fan cowl separated from the airplane, and fragments from the inlet and fan cowl struck the left wing, the left-side fuselage, and the left horizontal stabilizer. One fan cowl fragment impacted the left-side fuselage near a cabin window, and the window departed the airplane, which resulted in a rapid depressurization. The airplane landed safely at PHL about 17 minutes after the engine failure occurred. Of the 144 passengers and 5 crewmembers aboard the airplane, 1 passenger received fatal injuries, and 8 passengers received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 with a destination of Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas.
AIRCRAFT 1 FINAL REPORT
The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-19/03.
On April 17, 2018, about 1103 eastern daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 1380, a Boeing 737-7H4, N772SW, experienced a left engine failure while climbing through flight level 320 en route to the flight's assigned cruise altitude. The flight had departed from LaGuardia Airport, Queens, New York, about 30 minutes earlier. As a result of the engine failure, the flight crew conducted an emergency descent and diverted to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Portions of the left engine inlet and fan cowl separated from the airplane, and fragments from the inlet and fan cowl struck the left wing, the left-side fuselage, and the left horizontal stabilizer. One fan cowl fragment impacted the left-side fuselage near a cabin window, and the window departed the airplane, which resulted in a rapid depressurization. The airplane landed safely at PHL about 17 minutes after the engine failure occurred. Of the 144 passengers and 5 crewmembers aboard the airplane, 1 passenger received fatal injuries, and 8 passengers received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 with a destination of Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A low-cycle fatigue crack in the dovetail of fan blade No. 13, which resulted in the fan blade separating in flight and impacting the engine fan case at a location that was critical to the structural integrity and performance of the fan cowl structure. This impact led to the in-flight separation of fan cowl components, including the inboard fan cowl aft latch keeper, which struck the fuselage near a cabin window and caused the window to depart from the airplane, the cabin to rapidly depressurize, and the passenger fatality.
AIRCRAFT 1 CAUSE REPORT
A low-cycle fatigue crack in the dovetail of fan blade No. 13, which resulted in the fan blade separating in flight and impacting the engine fan case at a location that was critical to the structural integrity and performance of the fan cowl structure. This impact led to the in-flight separation of fan cowl components, including the inboard fan cowl aft latch keeper, which struck the fuselage near a cabin window and caused the window to depart from the airplane, the cabin to rapidly depressurize, and the passenger fatality.
END REPORT