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Southwest Loses A Panel Off The Wing In-Flight

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  • Southwest Loses A Panel Off The Wing In-Flight

    Today, N792SW (I think, not sure anymore), Flt 717 PVD-TPA. I pull up to it to fuel this aircraft, and I hook up and prepare to fuel when I noticed there was a 1x1ft (roughly) panel, on the bottom of the wing missing. It stood out like a sore thumb. The pilots that usually take the flight are 9/10 times on the ground and do the walkaround the very second the engines shut down. However, the pilot didnt do the walk around. So with that said I went up, as they were boarding, he was standing by the galley greeting the passengers. I asked if I could speak with him, he asked me what, but I kinda asked him to step outside to have a chat, as I didnt want to bring such "shocking" news to a flight full of passengers. His reaction was "Hmmmm lets go take a look", so we leave the jetway and as we passed the tug he immediatly noticed it, it was that visable. His reaction was "HOLY SHIIIIIT!" LOL. Well I told him "I normally look out for this kind of stuff and bring it to pilots attention if they dont notice it, but this is a first for me" and he thanked me and that was it. It ended up leaving without MX looking at it from what I gathered. I never saw our MX crew (contracted) over there. Any idea's?

    EDIT - this is not to put shame upon southwest, maybe I should have even left the "name" of the airline out. But the object is for someone to have some insight on what happened (anyone work for SW, that can tell if it was written up..ect..)

    Second of all, I do not know for 100% sure it happened in flight. But from what I gathered, the crew wasnt aware about it before, so I put together a conclusion it happened inflight.

    Dont flame me, just stating what I saw .
    Last edited by ExpressJet145; 2005-05-23, 01:45. Reason: Left out details.
    Ryan Davis
    Admin, FlyerGuide.Net
    www.flyerguide.net

  • #2
    I would think they called about it and it turned out to be something that could be fixed elsewhere, and wasn't a saftey issue (dispite how it looked). Maybe the part(s?) needed weren't at that airport even.

    *Guessing

    Comment


    • #3
      yeah, stuff falls off planes all the time. I'm sure that if it wasn't safe the pilots wouldn't have elected to fly it (cause remember they're still onboard )

      Comment


      • #4
        If the part isn't on the MEL (minimum equipment list), you can fly without it.

        Can you be specific as to where on the wing the part was located?

        Comment


        • #5
          Right after the leading edge of the wing, about 3/4 down the wing away from the fuselage. Anyone have a pic of an underside of a 737-700 wing? I can show ya exactly.
          Ryan Davis
          Admin, FlyerGuide.Net
          www.flyerguide.net

          Comment


          • #6
            [photoid=429361]

            Go nuts

            Comment


            • #7
              Damn thats a hot photo. I meant a "zoomed" in view.

              Ryan Davis
              Admin, FlyerGuide.Net
              www.flyerguide.net

              Comment


              • #8


                I guess today is your lucky day :P

                Comment


                • #9
                  Wow im suprised MX didnt look at it!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by ExpressJet145
                    Damn thats a hot photo. I meant a "zoomed" in view.

                    If it's right where you circled it, then it is the lower part of one of the fixed leading edge panels. Could it have possibly been one of the panels that cover one of the four slat drive screws in the picture? Or maybe the fuel door panel was missing?

                    I once had to investigate why a landing gear door fell off a 737-700 that was taking off. The only way it could have happened was damage caused by someone ramming a ground vehicle into it (and not telling anyone). One of the hinges was fractured as a result, but it wouldn't have been obvious from a visual inspection. Once the airplane got airborne, the door broke away.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I have been told that within a week of WN having installed the first set of blended winglets, one of them was knocked off and damaged by a provisioning truck.
                      Follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/flyingphotog

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        One of two things:

                        #1-After the missing part was brought to the attention of the Flight Crew, they checked the logbook and saw that it was MEL'd a earlier in the day and was going to get to a MX base that night.

                        or

                        #2-Checked the panel, called MX control, MEL'd and swapped to a line that was going to a MX base to be fixed.

                        From what you circled, it appears that it was not a critical panel, like a lav door, and the A/C could comtiue without it.

                        Not a mechanic, just my 2 cents worth from 6 years of experience.
                        SET LOVE FREE!!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Does the flight overnight at TPA? If it did then MX is probable.

                          On the same topic does every station that an ariline flys to have a mechanic? I mean if airline X flys only one flight a day to city LLL then will the airline employ a mechanic to be on call?
                          Or is one simply contracted at that airpore, i.e airline X and airline Y can share the same mechanic?
                          Or is it done where major MX only takes place at an airlines' hub or focus city?
                          Whatever is necessary, is never unwise.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Good question! I know Southwest has 3 MX employees at STL, and most other cities with an average amount of flights will have 3-4 MX Employees, however PVD Doesn't they just 112 employees, and I do not see any MX crews there so I am guessing its contracted, as Ryan said. Ryan can correct me on this. However, bases like MCO, MDW, PHX na dlS etc etc will have in the hundreds of MX employees.
                            Alex
                            Stop Searching. Start Traveling. southwest.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by ExpressJet145
                              Today, N792SW (I think, not sure anymore), Flt 717 PVD-TPA. I pull up to it to fuel this aircraft, and I hook up and prepare to fuel when I noticed there was a 1x1ft (roughly) panel, on the bottom of the wing missing. It stood out like a sore thumb. The pilots that usually take the flight are 9/10 times on the ground and do the walkaround the very second the engines shut down. However, the pilot didnt do the walk around
                              If it's a "turn" where the flight crew flies the aircraft into PVD and stays on for the TPA leg, then we don't do a walkaround. The flight crew only does a walkaround when we first takeover the aircraft. Usually the lead ramp agent will do a visual check before push.

                              So with that said I went up, as they were boarding, he was standing by the galley greeting the passengers. I asked if I could speak with him, he asked me what, but I kinda asked him to step outside to have a chat, as I didnt want to bring such "shocking" news to a flight full of passengers. His reaction was "Hmmmm lets go take a look", so we leave the jetway and as we passed the tug he immediatly noticed it, it was that visable. His reaction was "HOLY SHIIIIIT!" LOL. Well I told him "I normally look out for this kind of stuff and bring it to pilots attention if they dont notice it, but this is a first for me" and he thanked me and that was it
                              Keep on looking out for stuff like that. No one is gonna blast you for bringing something like that to their attention. You did good on this one, so pat yourself on the back!

                              It ended up leaving without MX looking at it from what I gathered. I never saw our MX crew (contracted) over there. Any idea's?
                              More than likely the crew called MX Control in DAL and described the damage. Since we have contract MX in PVD (and they most likely don't have a replacement panel) they cleared the A/C to continued to TPA where we do have own MX and the problem could be fixed quickly


                              Again you did a good job picking up on the damage (which most likely happened either on takeoff or inflight) and informing the crew, keep it up!

                              BTW, I'm gonna be in PVD next week.....what's good to eat in the terminal?

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