US government orders engine inspections after fatal Southwest Airlines explosion

Hundreds of engines will need to be inspected

Investigators examine damage to the engine of the Southwest Airlines plane (NTSB/Handout)

Airlines have been ordered to inspect engine components implicated in a Southwest Airlines crash.

A directive from the Federal Aviation Administration (FCC) gave operators 20 days to inspect fan blades on certain engine types.

The call for additional inspections reflected “information gathered from the investigation of Tuesday’s Southwest Airlines engine failure”, the FAA said.

Some 352 engines in the US and 681 engines worldwide would be affected, the agency said.

Investigators have been looking into the engine failure that forced Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia and caused the death of passenger Jennifer Riordan.

Ms Riordan died after being partially sucked out of a shattered window.

Southwest confirmed this week that it had sent $5,000 checks and $1,000 travel vouchers to passengers who were on board.

The National Transportation Safety Board said its on-the-ground inspectors would likely finish their initial work over the weekend. It asked any community members who had found fallen engine components to come forward, noting some pieces had already been provided.