Southwest rapid decompression today!

What is that panel? It looks as though it is designed to be removed. Some idiot neglect to secure the panel or what? Very interesting...
 
I don't think it's a panel... It just happened to be a square where the thing blew. Notice the huge crack running down the top center of the fuselage? I'm really hoping there aren't going to be more skin problems with the 737 line like the Aloha accident in the 80s.

I ran into an FO at my company who was there right after they landed. He somehow managed to get inside (well, he was invited) and took this.

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I think that airplane was blessed before it took off.

Why?

Because it was a holey airplane.

<rimshot>

Thanks folks, I'll be here all week. Be sure to take care of the people who are taking care of you and try the veal, it's delicious.
 
I don't see a crack, I just see the reflection off the vertical stab. It is a -300 so, I am sure it has lots of cycles on it. Especially the abuse put on it EVERY SINGLE DAY. Nice pic from inside, BTW.
 
I don't see a crack, I just see the reflection off the vertical stab. It is a -300 so, I am sure it has lots of cycles on it. Especially the abuse put on it EVERY SINGLE DAY. Nice pic from inside, BTW.

So much for "....if it ain't Boeing, I ain't going...."

I should start a rumor that SWA is retiring the 73s for an all-A319 fleet.......

......or maybe more appropriately, an all E190 fleet.
 
Ehh, I dunno, stuff happens, so somepeople got a little light headed and a crew got a little spooked. At least it wasn't worse.
 
I wonder if there is any correlation to something that happened earlier this year? Read the parts in bold. Twice.

How quickly we forget:


http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/20/222313/southwest-fined-10.2m-for-missing-fleet-inspections.html said:
Southwest fined $10.2m for missing fleet inspections
<!-- End ArticleHeading --> By David Field
<center> <script language="javascript"><!-- document.write('<scr'+'ipt language="javascript1.1" src="http://adserver.adtech.de/addyn|3.0|289|1061239|0|277|ADTECH;loc=100;target=_blank;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;grp=[group];misc='+new Date().getTime()+'"></scri'+'pt>'); //--> </script><script language="javascript1.1" src="http://adserver.adtech.de/addyn%7C3.0%7C289%7C1061239%7C0%7C277%7CADTECH;loc=100;target=_blank;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;grp=%5Bgroup%5D;misc=1247566688672"></script><script language="JavaScript1.1" src="http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/js/12767-79959-20908-0?mpt=566687886&mpvc=http://adserver.adtech.de/adlink%7C289%7C1061239%7C0%7C277%7CAdId=2374774;BnId=1;itime=566687886;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;nodecode=yes;link="> </script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://img-cdn.mediaplex.com/0/documentwrite.js"></script><object classid="clsid<img src=" http:="" forums.jetcareers.com="" images="" smilies="" biggrin.gif="" alt="" title="Big Grin" smilieid="3" class="inlineimg" border="0"><embed wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="always" name="1" src="http://img-cdn.mediaplex.com/0/12767/79959/lm_F35strength_336x280.swf" flashvars="clickTAG=http://adserver.adtech.de/adlink|289|1061239|0|277|AdId=2374774;BnId=1;itime=566687886;key=key1 key2 key3 key4;nodecode=yes;link=http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12767-79959-20908-0?mpt=566687886&clickTag=http://adserver.adtech.de/adlink|289|1061239|0|277|AdId=2374774;BnId=1;itime=566687886;key=key1 key2 key3 key4;nodecode=yes;link=http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12767-79959-20908-0?mpt=566687886&clickTag1=http://adserver.adtech.de/adlink|289|1061239|0|277|AdId=2374774;BnId=1;itime=566687886;key=key1 key2 key3 key4;nodecode=yes;link=http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12767-79959-20908-0?mpt=566687886" swliveconnect="FALSE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="" width="336" height="280"></object> <noscript> </noscript> <noscript></noscript> </center>
<!-- /noindex --> US FAA fines Southwest $10.2 million for missing fleet inspections
Southwest Airlines grounded nearly 7% of its Boeing 737 fleet in mid-March after the FAA proposed a record $10.2 million fine for missed fleet inspections and after a congressman charged that the carrier's "cosy" relationships with FAA on-site inspectors had endangered safety.

For an airline that wins award after award as an admired company, and as the US carrier that carried the most domestic passengers in 2007 - 101.9 million - the possible erosion of its reputation presents a serious challenge. Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly immediately went on a public relations push to portray the carrier, which has never suffered a passenger fatality, as a safe one. He flew to Washington on the same day that Southwest grounded some of its Boeing 737-300s and -500s for inspections, making the rounds at FAA headquarters and on Capitol Hill and actively courting the media.


"During Southwest's 37-year proud history, we have safely transported the population of the United States - every man, woman and child - four and a half times," Kelly says. "This is a fact. We have been a safe company."
Southwest voluntarily disclosed to the FAA in March 2007 that it had not complied with airworthiness directives on 737 fuselage inspections for 46 aircraft, flying them for nine months on nearly 60,000 flights after they should have been checked. The FAA says 1,451 of these flights were completed after Southwest discovered it had failed to comply with the required inspections.


Republican Jim Oberstar, the House Transportation committee chairman, says Southwest's "cosy" relationship with its local FAA inspectors allowed this "most serious lapse of safety I have seen at FAA in 23 years". Oberstar says the FAA had ignored whistle-blowers who warned of this problem. His committee's investigation continues.


After word of the fine and the probe emerged, Southwest reviewed its practices, suspended three of its employees, brought in an outside consultant as a safety watchdog, and then found it had failed to inspect another 38 of its aircraft for another possible flaw. It grounded them, briefly disrupting schedules.


Lehman Brothers analyst Gary Chase expects a minimal effect on Southwest's revenue and share prices. The airline says it has not seen any major effect on forward bookings. But the longer-term effect of the crisis cannot be desirable.



"We have safely transported the population of the United States four and a half times"Gary Kelly Chief executive,Southwest Airlines
 
The AD polar was referring to was the one put out in 2004 for 737 aircraft. I don't know the FS locations on 737's so I couldn't tell you whether the incident airplane's hole is located within the area(s) that 2004-18-8 described, but it's possible. Anyone familiar?
 
I don't think it's a panel... It just happened to be a square where the thing blew. Notice the huge crack running down the top center of the fuselage? I'm really hoping there aren't going to be more skin problems with the 737 line like the Aloha accident in the 80s.

I ran into an FO at my company who was there right after they landed. He somehow managed to get inside (well, he was invited) and took this.

attachment.php
YIIIIIIKKKKEEESSS!!!!!!:eek:
 
I love how the major nightly news outlets are telling the American public they need to question their safety whilst traveling on an aging fleet...this aircraft was an NG and what, 15 year old? Slow news night...
 
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Southwest-checks-planes-after-apf-1025366147.html?x=0&.v=13

Some excerpts:

The plane was built in 1994, and government records indicated that an inspection in January turned up eight cracks in the frame that required repairs.
Federal Aviation Administration records show that during the plane's 14-year checkup in January, eight cracks were found in the fuselage frame and repaired.


Damage from wear and tear is not unusual in planes of that age, and the FAA requires special inspections for cracks. In March, Southwest agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle charges that it operated planes that had missed those required inspections.


FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said an initial review indicated that inspection orders for the Boeing 737-300 didn't include inspecting the area of the body where the tear appeared on Monday's flight.
Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said workers conducted "a walk-around visual inspection" of the airline's other 737-300s and discovered no cracks. During periodic maintenance overhauls, workers use equipment designed to detect cracks that aren't visible.
Experts said the tear could have been caused by damage from a dent or ding, or the plane's skin could have suffered from age-related fatigue. Jet cabins are pressurized and depressurized with every flight, which can cause tiny cracks over time. The Southwest jet was built in 1994.
Bill Voss, president of the Flight Safety Foundation in Alexandria, Va., said a finding of fatigue would be more frightening. If that were the cause, it could force the FAA to consider more rigorous inspections for older aircraft, he said.
 
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