What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 27, 2016, at approximately 0920 local, southwest flight 3472 departed louis armstrong new orleans international airport, LA. Enroute to orlando international airport with 99 passengers onboard. While cruising at FL390, the aircraft experienced an uncontained engine failure resulting in the number 1 engine inlet cowl disintegrating. Engine debris penetrated the left side of the fuselage causing loss of pressurization and subsequent deployment of the oxygen mask. The 5 flightcrew and 99 passengers experienced continuous aircraft vibrations throughout the descent.
The crew declared an emergency and made an emergency descent into Pensacola international airport, followed by an uneventful landing. There are no reported injuries at this time. Aircraft is a B737-700 registered as N766SW.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 27, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 0920 LOCAL, SOUTHWEST FLIGHT 3472 DEPARTED LOUIS ARMSTRONG NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LA. ENROUTE TO ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH 99 PASSENGERS ONBOARD. WHILE CRUISING AT FL390, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTAINED ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE INLET COWL DISINTEGRATING. ENGINE DEBRIS PENETRATED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE CAUSING LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION AND SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE OXYGEN MASK. THE 5 FLIGHTCREW AND 99 PASSENGERS EXPERIENCED CONTINUOUS AIRCRAFT VIBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DESCENT.
THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND MADE AN EMERGENCY DESCENT INTO PENSACOLA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FOLLOWED BY AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING. THERE ARE NO REPORTED INJURIES AT THIS TIME. AIRCRAFT IS A B737-700 REGISTERED AS N766SW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N766SW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.