A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Houston was forced to return to Denver International Airport on Sunday morning after a dramatic engine malfunction. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the engine cowling, a removable metal covering, detached during takeoff and struck the plane’s wing flap.
The Boeing 737-800 landed safely at around 8:15 AM MDT and was towed to the gate for inspection. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
This incident comes on the heels of several other Boeing-related issues in Denver this year. In March, a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Paris was diverted to Denver due to engine problems. February saw another United flight, this time headed from San Francisco to Boston, land in Denver after encountering wing issues mid-air. The January month wasn’t much smoother, with a United flight from Las Vegas to Washington D.C. forced to divert to Denver because of a cracked windshield.
The FAA is currently investigating the latest incident involving the engine cowling. Southwest Airlines has apologized for the inconvenience caused by the delay and reassured passengers that safety remains their top priority. Their maintenance team is currently examining the aircraft.
The exact number of passengers and crew onboard the flight remains unknown.
