On Sunday, a Houston-bound Boeing 737-800 plane operated by Southwest Airlines safely returned to Denver International Airport after an engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency stated that it will investigate the incident.
Passengers on board heard something loud hit the wing and several passengers and flight attendants reported the incident to air traffic control. Southwest Airlines confirmed that passengers would board another plane to Houston and would be approximately three hours behind schedule. The airline apologized for the inconvenience but highlighted their top priority of safety for customers and employees.
Southwest Airlines stated that no injuries were reported and that their maintenance teams would review the aircraft. The flight took off at 7:49 a.m. local time and returned at 8:15 a.m. when it reached an altitude of about 10,000 feet. FAA records had deemed the plane airworthy in May 2015.
This incident is part of a series of recent mechanical issues affecting Boeing aircraft in various airlines over the past few months despite ongoing safety scrutiny of the company’s planes. Boeing declined to provide a comment and directed media inquiries to Southwest Airlines for information about aircraft and fleet operations.
