On Friday, April 1, Southwest Flight 812 made an emergency landing in Yuma, AZ, after a large hole in the fuselage of the aircraft opened above the plane’s cabin shortly after it took off from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, reports The Yuma Sun.
Approximately 18 minutes into the flight, the Sacramento-bound plane, a 15-year-old Boeing 737-300, descended from its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet to 11,000 feet in about four and a half minutes after a 5-by-1-foot section of the plane’s fuselage burst open, requiring the passengers aboard to immediately use their oxygen masks. The plane leveled off at 9,000 feet, and landed safely in Yuma at about 4 p.m. There were 118 passengers aboard the flight and none were reportedly injured, although there have been reports that some passengers lost consciousness during the decompression. One flight attendant did suffer a minor injury during the plane’s descent but was able to be treated at the scene.
The incident prompted an immediate investigation of the aircraft by an 11-member team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and investigators revealed that tiny cracks had been discovered on the aircraft around rivet holes along a joint where two areas of the fuselage skin overlap. The cracks are not apparent to the naked eye, which has prompted air safety officials to question whether new criteria for aircraft inspection for 737s and other aircraft are needed.
Investigators are working to determine how long the cracks had been on the plane’s fuselage, and were extensively looking at the aircraft’s maintenance records. According to officials, the last time the aircraft had undergone heavy maintenance inspections was in March 2010, although several routine maintenance inspections have been performed since then. However, these inspections do not require the entire aircraft to be disassembled, as in heavy maintenance inspections. Officials stated March 2010 is likely the last time anyone had checked the concealed part of the aircraft.
Over the weekend, Southwest canceled about 300 flights on Saturday and another 300 on Sunday. It was expected at least 100 flights would be canceled on Monday as inspectors look at 79 Boeing 737 aircraft.
While airlines have a legal duty to perform regular maintenance to ensure the safety of their aircraft to passengers, airplane manufacturers also have a responsibility to design and create planes that are free of any defects or flaws. The California airline accident attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have successfully litigated against many large airplane manufacturers when it is discovered negligence contributed to a plane crash and/or a passenger’s injury. To find out how we can help, call 1-877-800-1700.
