The extent of the damage to #WN3472's CFM engine is just extraordinary. https://t.co/b4FRjb05ZH (v Jeremy Martin) pic.twitter.com/9vIsf1ube2
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) August 27, 2016
If you’re petrified of flying you may want to look away now.
A passenger of a U.S. flight looked out of the window to find that large parts of the plane’s engine had fallen off.
@lexydray @10TV pic.twitter.com/YTklDjqKvl
— Stephanie (@smillerddd3) August 27, 2016
The Southwest Airlines flight travelling from New Orleans to Orlando had to make an emergency landing after experiencing a major problem with one of its engines.
Passengers took to Twitter to post the carnage, revealing part of the engine had completely torn away, causing the cabin pressure to drop significantly.
@ChrisNWBZTV @cbsboston @cbsnewspath @CBSNews @CBSEveningNews pic.twitter.com/WExf6n9LVC
— Stephanie (@smillerddd3) August 27, 2016
It also emerged that the plane’s fuselage, front edge of the wing, horizontal tail stabiliser and winglet were also damaged.
Miraculously, none of the passengers or five crew members on-board were injured, with the plane managing to touch down in Pensacola, Florida yesterday morning.
People on-board cheered the skill of the pilot who managed to land the aircraft safely.
@ChrisNWBZTV @cbsboston @cbsnewspath @CBSNews @CBSEveningNews pic.twitter.com/keTNDIk35E
— Stephanie (@smillerddd3) August 27, 2016
Stephanie Miller, who was on her first ever flight (how unlucky!?), told ABC News: “We heard a loud boom at about 10,000 feet. Sounded like an 18 wheeler tire blowing and we started smelling smoke.”
An investigation is now underway by the National Transportation Safety Board to see what happened, but a South West spokesperson claimed that it wasn’t an explosion.
@will_gretsky pic.twitter.com/JSrrttYoE9
— Stephanie (@smillerddd3) August 27, 2016
Whatever the fuck it was we’re just glad this ended well, as this story could have had a much darker ending.