Southwest 737-300 Emergency Landing After Fuselage Tears Open

[B757300]

YUMA, Ariz. – Passengers say a six-foot hole that ripped open in the fuselage caused a rapid decompression on a Southwest Airlines 737 Friday.

Flight 812 from Phoenix to Sacramento had to be diverted to Yuma, Ariz. It landed safely at Yuma Marine Corps Air Station/International Airport at 4:07 p.m. Friday.

http://www.king5.com/news/Southwest-flight-to-Phoenix-diverted-to-Yuma-119100294.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13278839

[AVION1]

Looks like another Aloha Flight 243 in the making.....!!






anyone remember Aloha 243?

[B757300]

Aloha 243 was the first thing that came to my mind as well.

Of course comments on various sites are already trying to say it was terrorism. I just love these dolts who think every time an airliner has some kind of event, it just has to be terrorism.

[Felipe Garcia]

Second time one of their -300s becomes involved in this. I guess they'll have to rename it "The Sunroof Two"

[Foxtrot]

Well there's no question the -300s are aging but they're not that old. This will put some extra attention on metal fatigue again.

[Alessandro]

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20110401-0

14 years old.

[Eric Diffoot]

WN grounds 737s for inspections

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/04/02/355079/southwest-grounds-80-737s-after-jet-holed-in-flight.html

[saupatel]

With body panels ripping off, my first thought went to this. Is this really safe/FAA approved body work ?

[photoid=6240832]

[Highkeas]

............The Boeing 737 lost cabin pressure after the hole developed Friday, prompting frightened passengers to grope for oxygen masks as the plane made a terrifying but controlled descent............

More media hype. To me it would have been "terrifying" if the pilot had not made a quick descent.

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In post number 2 above it appears that the person may be touching a longeron or frame. This means the subsequent examination will have to account for any relevant contamination of fracture surfaces.

[guamainiac]

People passing out does not sound like hype since they were at altitude. If you were in the can or something?

[Evan]

With body panels ripping off, my first thought went to this. Is this really safe/FAA approved body work ?

[photoid=6240832]

Safe or FAA approved? Apparently, current FAA approval requires only a specified amount of palm greasing.

Southwest Airlines is on my no-fly list.

[guamainiac]

This thing is starting to sound like the "Noo-Skool" version of the de Havilland DH 106 Comet, with the tin can effect.

Time to start swimming pool tests on them?

[Curtis Malone]

Southwest Airlines is on my no-fly list.

Oh drats.

[Highkeas]

People passing out does not sound like hype since they were at altitude. If you were in the can or something?

I meant the fast descent. Not the rest.

Also I saw some other photos and now do not know what it was the person was touching (Post #2(.

[Highkeas]

.............Southwest Airlines is on my no-fly list.

Better add American and a couple more airlines to your no-fly list.
This (skin rupture) happened last year on a couple of 757s (one flown by an AA) and I recall it happening on other airlines and aircraft types.