Passenger died after an engine explosion blew out a window mid-flight

A woman died after a Southwest Airlines jet suffered engine failure and made an emergency landing on Tuesday, marking the first accidental fatality on a domestic flight in nine years, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Flight 1380 was en route from New York City's LaGuardia International Airport to Dallas Love Field when the plane was forced to land at Philadelphia International Airport Tuesday morning.

Jennifer Riordan of New Mexico died after she was partially sucked out a window near the engine, according to witnesses. Officials did not immediately confirm that account.

"Jennifer Riordan has passed away as a result of previously reported events on Southwest Airlines flight No. 1380," her family said in a statement.

Passenger Matt Tranchin said the flight took a turn when he saw a "huge explosion and glass shattering three rows ahead of me."

"Flight attendants rushed up," he said. "There was momentary chaos. Everyone kind of descended on where this hole was. As passengers, we weren't sure if they were trying to cover up the hole, but the plane smelled like smoke. There was ash coming through the ventilation system."

Jim Demetros, a passenger who said he was about three rows ahead of where the engine failed, told ABC News everybody was looking at "the woman who was sitting next to the window that had blown out."

"It was a pretty harrowing experience," he said, adding that the "crew did fantastic job ... keeping everyone calm."

A few minutes after the oxygen masks came down, the window two rows behind where Adams was sitting blew out, "and the woman was sucked out," she told ABC News.

"Two brave men immediately responded and helped grab her and tried to pull her back in," Adams said.