'SOMEONE WENT OUT'
A HARROWING May Day captures the moment a Southwest Airlines pilot revealed "part of the plane is missing" and "someone went out" after a jet engine exploded mid air.
Tammie Jo Shults, who was flying Southwest flight 1380 from New York to Dallas, maintained her calm as she revealed there were "several injured passengers" on-board.
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Banker Jennifer Riordan suffered fatal head injuries after she was partially sucked out of the plane.
The Boeing 737 had just left New York's LaGuardia Airport and was en-route to Dallas when the left engine exploded and ruptured metal flew towards a window.
A woman had to be pulled back inside by heroic passengers and crew after the aircraft was pierced by shrapnel at 32,000ft.
But before pilot Tammie quickly and calmly brought the plane into land, she asked the controller: "Could you have medical meet us at the runway, we have injured passengers on-board."
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In response, air traffic control asked: "Injured passengers okay… and is your plane physically on fire?
Pilot: "Not fire, not fire but part of its missing. They said there’s a hole and uh… someone went out.”
Air traffic control: "Um, I’m sorry, you said there was a hole and somebody went out? Southwest 1380, it doesn’t matter we will work it out there."
Shults is now being hailed a hero for safely landing the plane with 143 passengers and five crew on board at Philadelphia International Airport at 11am - at a descent of 3,000ft per minute.
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Southwest Airlines passengers ‘injured after jet engine EXPLODES and rips hole in the plane’
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Mrs Riordan died in the bizarre accident on her way home to her husband Michael and two young kids in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A family statement read: "Jennifer’s vibrancy, passion and love infused our community and reached across our country.
"Her impact on everything and everyone she touched can never be fully measured.
"She and Mike wrote a love story unlike any other. Her beauty and love is evident through her children."
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One passenger later posted on Instagram: "The pilot Tammy Jo was so amazing! She landed us safely in Philly."
Another Cassie Adams added: "Thank you to the incredible pilot at @SouthwestAir who got a plane without an engine to the ground as quickly as possible."
Another wrote: "Awesome job Pilot Tammie Jo Shultz. You are a credit to navy aviators. Your bravery and calm demeanor in landing 1380 is exemplary."
Previously Shults reportedly flew F-18s, as one of the fUS Navy's first female fighter pilots.
Flight information provided by FlightRadar24 showed the plane went from approximately 30,000 feet to 13,000 feet in five minutes.
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Gary Kelly, CEO and chairman of Southwest said the airline is now sending a go-team to Philadelphia to assist with response efforts.
"This is a sad day and our hearts go out to the family and the loved ones of the deceased customer," he said.
Kelly said he was not aware of any issues with the jet and engine involved in the accident. He said the plane was last inspected on April 15.
"We don't know the cause of this incident," Kelly said.
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