Southwest Airlines Pilot One Of Navy's 1st Female Fighter Pilots

PHILADELPHIA – The Southwest Airlines pilot who safely landed a damaged Boeing 373 jet Tuesday in Philadelphia after engine failure is no stranger to tense midair situations, as she's been identified as one of the Navy's first female fighter pilots.

Tammie Jo Shults was in the cockpit of Southwest Airlines flight 1380 Tuesday, which took off from New York City and was destined for Dallas.

According to her alma mater Mid America Nazerene University, Shults is one of the first female fighter pilots for the U.S. Navy.

The jet experienced what the National Transportation Safety Board is preliminarily calling engine failure in the left wing.

Shults radioed in to Philadelphia International Airport and landed the jet safely.

Unfortunately, one person died. Passenger Jennifer Riordan, a wife and mother of two from New Mexico, was killed when shrapnel from the engine's explosion shattered her plane window.

But it was Shults' flight history and iron will allowed the remaining souls on board to make it out of the harrowing situation safely. Twelve passengers were evaluated and seven treated for minor injuries, according to the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Shults can be heard keeping a calm and collected demeanor when speaking with air traffic controllers Tuesday.

"We have part of the aircraft missing," she tells the tower. She goes on to say, "there is a hole and someone went out."

A piece of shrapnel from the engine broke off, pierced a window and caused the cabin to depressurize. One passenger, believed to be Riordan, was nearly sucked out of the window but quick-acting passengers pulled her back in.

Shults graduated from Mid America Nazerene University in 1983.

"She's a formidable woman, as sharp as a tack," her brother-in-law Gary Shults said while speaking with the Associated Press. "My brother says she's the best pilot he knows. She's a very caring, giving person who takes care of lots of people."

Passengers are hailing Shults as a hero, 6ABC reports.

"A huge thank you to the Southwest Crew & Pilot Tammie Jo Shults for their knowledge and bravery under these circumstances," flight 1380 passenger Diana McBride Self wrote on Facebook. "God bless each one of them."

According to the Washington Post, Shults was one of the first women to fly the F/A-18 Hornet when it was one of the newest aircraft in the fleet.

The Post reports she was in the Navy for 10 years and left in 1993 with the rank of lieutenant commander.

She is a wife and the mother of two.

Image via Amanda Bourman, used with permission