Armour College of Engineering Professor of Materials Engineering Sammy Tin discusses the Southwest Airlines engine blast with ABC 7 Chicago

“They believe the crack started at the base of the fan blade, the blade that sits in front of the engine,” says Sammy Tin. “So every time you turn on the engine it cycles . . . during that spinning, there’s a mechanical load that acts on the fan blade. And each time it’s loaded and unloaded, there may be potential for a crack to start and continue growing.” Watch the full interview.