Investigation into Southwest Airlines flight underway as its revealed Australian planes carry same engine
HUNDREDS of planes in Australia carry the same engine as the one that exploded on a Southwest Airlines flight in the US, leading to the death of a passenger.
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HUNDREDS of planes in Australia carry the same engine as the one that exploded on a Southwest Airlines flight in the US, it has been revealed.
The plane that made an emergency landing in Philadelphia overnight, killing a mother of two, was a 737-700, a Boeing 737 Next Generation airline.
Qantas, Virgin and Tigerair in Australia all have Boeing 737 Next Generation airliners in their fleets, with Virgin operating the same 737-700 model as the Southwest plane.
‘Boeing 737 Next Generation’ is the name given to the 600, 700, 800 and 900 liners.
The engine in the Southwest Airline was a CFM56, made by Ohio company CFM International, which is the sole supplier of engines for Boeing 737 Next Generation planes, meaning these engines are found in all Boeing 737 Next Generation airlines including those operated by Virgin Australia, Qantas Australia and Tigerair.
MORE: Woman was ‘partially sucked’ out of plane window on Southwest flight
Given an investigation is underway into the flight disaster, it is too early to tell what caused the explosion or whether it was an engine fault.
The National Transport Safety Board said early indications revealed there was evidence of metal fatigue in the engine.
Dr Nicholas Hutchins, a researcher in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, predicted the cause could have been engine failure.
“It appears that there was some uncontained failure in the engine, which led to a piece of the engine piercing the fuselage, leading to depressurisation,” Dr Hutchins said.
“Certainly there will be a thorough investigation to establish whether this is a maintenance issue or some wider design issue with the engine, which depending on the outcome may have ramifications to Australian operators.”
According to Wikipedia, Qantas has 70 737-800 liners in service, while Virgin Australia has 80 and Tigerair has four. Virgin also has two 737-700s.
“The safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft is always our number one priority,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson said.
“The Virgin Australia Group operates Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft in its fleet and they are maintained to the highest standards in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations and regulatory requirements.
“Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic accident.”
Siminlar comments came from a Qantas spokesperson.
“The specifications of the aircraft and engines we operate are slightly different but we are watching the investigation closely for any relevant findings. This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with all those touched by it,” the spokesperson said.
After an investigation is conducted, the National Transportation Safety Board will reveal its findings and make recommendations which major airlines — including those in Australia — will be forced to comply with.
Dr Hutchins said incidents of this nature were “rare”.
“Cabin depressurisation is quite rare, as is any type of aircraft failure. There have been a few notable incidents over the decades, but it is usually a secondary effect that is caused by some other failure.”
CFM International, a joint venture between engineering companies General Electric in the US and Safran in France, released a statement saying: “CFM has sent a team of technical representatives to the site to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation. CFM will support the NTSB and Southwest Airlines in determining the cause of the accident and CFM and its parent companies, GE and Safran, will make every resource necessary available to ensure support.”
Mother-of-two Jennifer Riordan, from Albuquerque, was identified as the only fatality in the air disaster.
HOW DID THE SOUTHWEST ENGINE EXPLOSION HAPPEN?
“In this case it seemed to be caused by some type of engine problem, which caused a piece of the engine or engine casing to pierce the fuselage (or break the window),” Dr Hutchins said. “The pressure at altitude (10000 m) is lower than at sea-level. For passenger comfort/safety, the cabin is pressurised to a higher pressure (usually approx. 2000 m). This means that at altitude the cabin pressure is greater than the pressure outside. If the fuselage is punctured (much like a punctured balloon) this high pressure air will want to rush out. This is why people and objects can occasionally get sucked out.”
Originally published as Investigation into Southwest Airlines flight underway as its revealed Australian planes carry same engine
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