CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE: Southwest Emergency at Phoenix Sky Harbor

MARCH 31, 2023

On a routine flight from Phoenix, AZ (PHX) to Burbank, CA (BUR), Southwest Airlines flight SWA-9010, a Boeing 737-700 (N264LV) carrying 116 passengers and crew, experienced a dramatic left-hand engine (CFM56) failure shortly after takeoff. Climbing out of Phoenix's runway 07L, the crew shut down the damaged engine and declared an emergency. The aircraft safely returned to Phoenix, landing on runway 08 approximately 20 minutes later.

Emergency services inspected the aircraft and identified an oil leak from the affected engine. Further examination revealed metallic fragments scattered across an area 6.8 nautical miles southeast of the airport, directly beneath the flight path. These fragments caused damage to nearby buildings and vehicles.

A detailed inspection found damage to the final turbine stage blades, which remained intact but showed signs of impact. A significant amount of metallic debris was also discovered in the engine outlet.

The aircraft was grounded for nearly 4 days for repairs and investigation. This incident underscores the professionalism of the Southwest crew, who managed the emergency safely, ensuring the well-being of all passengers on board.

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00:15 Initial departure of Southwest Airlines flight 9010
00:31 Pilots report engine failure
00:38 "catastrophic engine failure"
03:34 WN9010 begins turn toward Sky Harbor Airport
07:02 Landing and ground communications

#boeing737 #emergencylanding #WN9010

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