Southwest Airlines Jet Lands Safely After Hole Appears in Fuselage

The flight, Southwest Airlines 2294, originated in Nashville and was destined for Baltimore. It is unclear what caused the hole. The cabin lost pressure, forcing passengers to do oxygen masks, but passengers were calm and no one was injured.

NBC's Today Show reported on the incident, and call the hole small. I'm sorry, a 1 ft. x 1 ft. hole isn't small to me. Metal fatigue is, of course, suspected. Obviously this Southwest Airlines hole was nothing in comparison, but remember that in 1988, that an Aloha Airlines plane's roof basically peeled off and a flight attendant was sucked out to her death.

Passenger Michael Cunningham's seat was right below the hole, and he told the Today Show on Tuesday that he was awakened by a loud roar while napping. "You could see the sky through it. I could put my arm out of it if I wanted to."

Southwest Airlines said the company was inspecting all of its Boeing 737-300s as a precaution. The company added that despite the hole, passengers weren't in any serious danger at any time.