The Latest: Southwest to speed up engine inspections

FAN Editor

The Latest on a plane making an emergency landing in Philadelphia (all times local):

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10:05 p.m.

Southwest Airlines says it’s speeding up inspections of engines like the one that failed and sent debris smashing into a plane window, leading to the death of a passenger.

Southwest said Tuesday it expects to finish inspections of the CFM56 engines over the next 30 days. It says it’s making the move out of caution.

The engines are made by CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric Co. and France’s Safran SA. Southwest and CFM are both promising to assist federal officials in the investigation.

One person was killed and seven others were injured after the twin-engine 737 blew an engine at 30,000 feet and got hit by shrapnel that smashed a window. The plane from New York to Dallas landed in Philadelphia.

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9:55 p.m.

The National Transportation Safety Board says a preliminary examination of the blown jet engine of the Southwest Airlines plane that made an emergency landing in Philadelphia shows evidence of “metal fatigue.”

In a late night news conference, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said one of the engine’s fan blades was separated and missing. Sumwalt says the blade was separated at the point where it would come into the hub and there was evidence of metal fatigue.

One person was killed and seven others were injured after the twin-engine 737 blew an engine at 30,000 feet and got hit by shrapnel that smashed a window. The plane from New York to Dallas landed in Philadelphia.

Sumwalt says part of the engine covering was found in Bernville, Pennsylvania, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) west of Philadelphia.

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7 p.m.

A bank executive and mother of two from New Mexico has been identified as the woman who died after a Southwest Airlines jet plane blew an engine and got hit by shrapnel that smashed a window.

News of Jennifer Riordan’s death was first shared by the assistant principal of the Albuquerque Catholic school attended by her two children.

In an email to parents, assistant principal Amy McCarty wrote that “the family needs all the prayers we can offer.”

Riordan was a vice president of community relations for Wells Fargo bank. She was the wife of Michael Riordan, who served until recently as the chief operating officer for the city of Albuquerque.

The New Mexico Broadcasters Association on social media said Riordan was a graduate of the University of New Mexico and former board member.

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6:20 p.m.

The head of Southwest Airlines says that there were no problems with a plane involved in a fatal emergency landing when it was inspected two days ago.

Chief executive Gary Kelly said at a news conference in Dallas Tuesday that there were no problems with the plane or its engine when it was inspected Sunday.

One person was killed and seven injured after the twin-engine 737 apparently blew an engine at 30,000 feet and got hit by shrapnel that smashed a window. The plane from New York to Dallas landed in Philadelphia.

Kelly says the plane has gone through 40,000 takeoffs and landings since it was delivered in July 2000. That includes 10,000 since its last overhaul.

He declined to identify the crew or the name of the dead passenger.

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5:45 p.m.

The US transportation secretary is praising the pilots, crew and passengers for helping to prevent a far worse tragedy on a Southwest flight that made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

One person was killed and seven injured after the twin-engine 737 apparently blew an engine at 30,000 feet and got hit by shrapnel that smashed a window.

The plane was headed from New York to Dallas with 149 people aboard when it detoured to Philadelphia.

Secretary Elaine Chao said her department is working with the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause and ensure the safety of the traveling public.

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5 p.m.

A crew member on a plane that made an emergency landing in Philadelphia reported to air traffic controllers that a piece of the plane was missing and “someone went out.”

In the audio recording of the exchange, the crew member says the plane needed to slow down.

Photos posted by passengers showed a heavily damaged window near the damaged engine. Passengers reported seeing a woman being given medical attention on the plane.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt says that one person died in the accident. No details have been released on how the passenger died. Seven others were injured.

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4:35 p.m.

The company that made the engine that blew apart on a Southwest Airlines jet says it is helping investigators figure out what went wrong.

CFM International said in a statement Tuesday that it sent technical experts to help the National Transportation Safety Board officials.

A passenger died after the left-side engine on a Southwest jet blew apart over Pennsylvania on Tuesday. The pilots made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

CFM is a joint venture of General Electric and France’s Safran.

The company says the type of engine on the Southwest plane is installed on more than 6,700 planes and has flown more than 350 million hours since its introduction in 1997.

The company says the engine has an outstanding safety and reliability record.

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3:15 p.m.

A federal investigator says one person has been killed after a plane with engine failure made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said Tuesday that the engine will be shipped for a detailed examination.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the flight from New York to Dallas made an emergency landing after the crew reported damage to one of the engines, as well as the fuselage and at least one window.

Philadelphia’s fire chief says that one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition and seven were treated for minor injuries.

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2:35 p.m.

Philadelphia’s fire chief says that one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition after a Southwest Airlines plane made an emergency landing.

Philadelphia Fire Department Commissioner Adam Thiel (TEAL’) declined to release any additional details on the victim or their condition.

He says that seven other passengers were treated for minor injuries, but none had to be taken to the hospital.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the flight from New York to Dallas made an emergency landing after the crew reported damage to one of the engines, as well as the fuselage and at least one window.

Thiel says that there was a fuel leak and a small fire when firefighters arrived.

He didn’t release any additional details on the landing.

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2 p.m.

A passenger aboard a Southwest Airlines plane that made an emergency landing in Philadelphia says at least one woman was taken to the hospital.

Amanda Bourman, of New York, said that the woman was taken off the plane by emergency medical workers Tuesday after the emergency landing around 11:20 a.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration says a flight from New York to Dallas made an emergency landing after the crew reported damage to one of the engines, as well as the fuselage and at least one window.

Passenger Marty Martinez says a window exploded mid-air and posted photo of a damaged window and emergency oxygen masks dangling down.

It wasn’t clear if anyone else was injured.

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1:50 p.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration says a flight from New York to Dallas made an emergency landing at Philadelphia’s airport after the crew reported damage to one of the engines, as well as the fuselage and at least one window.

Passenger Marty Martinez says a window exploded mid-air and posted photo of a damaged window and emergency oxygen masks dangling down.

The National Transportation Safety Board says it is taking over the investigation.

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12:45 p.m.

A passenger on a Southwest Airlines plane says a window was damaged after a problem with its left engine and the plane made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

Southwest Airlines says there were 143 passengers and five crewmembers on board the flight Tuesday en route from New York’s La Guardia Airport to Dallas. The airline says something went awry and they landed at Philadelphia’s airport.

Passenger Marty Martinez says a window exploded mid-air and posted photo of a damaged window and emergency oxygen masks dangling down.

Passengers were seen walking off the plane on the tarmac at the airport and the left engine of the plane is damaged.

It wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was hurt.

Messages seeking comment from the Federal Aviation Administration weren’t immediately returned.

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12:20 p.m.

Southwest Airlines says that one of its planes heading from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Dallas’ Love Field landed safely in Philadelphia.

Tracking data from FlightAware.com shows the flight was heading west over New York’s southern tier when it abruptly turned toward Philadelphia.

Passengers were seen walking off the plane on the tarmac at the airport and the left engine of the plane is damaged.

It wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was hurt.

Messages seeking comment from the Federal Aviation Administration weren’t immediately returned.

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12:15 p.m.

A Southwest Airlines plane has made an emergency landing at Philadelphia’s airport with what appears to be a damaged engine.

Passengers were seen walking off the plane on the tarmac at the airport.

Passengers on board posted on social media that the plane was en route from New York City to Dallas when something happened.

Messages seeking comment from the Federal Aviation Administration weren’t immediately returned.

Firefighters are on the scene but a spokeswoman couldn’t provide any details.

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