Passengers on a Houston-bound Southwest Airlines flight experienced a terrifying ordeal when the engine of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft appeared to come apart mid-flight. The flight, which took off from Denver, was forced to return to the airport after crew members noticed a removable sheet of metal covering one of the engines had sheared off during takeoff.
A harrowing video posted on Twitter by ABC’s chief transportation reporter Sam Sweeney captured the moment the metal engine cover ripped off, whipping in the breeze like paper. The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the engine cowling had detached and struck one of the plane’s wing flaps.
A Southwest spokesperson confirmed that the incident was due to a mechanical issue. The flight, numbered 3695, landed safely back at Denver International Airport, and passengers were reassured that they would be transported to Houston on another aircraft, albeit three hours behind schedule.
The FAA is currently investigating the incident, and Southwest’s maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft. The plane, which departed Denver at 7:49 a.m. local time, returned just 25 minutes later, landing safely at 8:14 a.m. before being towed to the gate.
The safety of passengers and crew is the top priority for Southwest Airlines, and they apologized for the inconvenience caused by the delay. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous maintenance and safety protocols in the aviation industry.