By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – An engine cowl of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 fell during takeoff in Denver on Sunday and hit the wing flap, prompting the U.S. FAA to open an investigation.
No one was injured and Southwest Flight 3695 returned safely to Denver International Airport around 8:15 a.m. local time on Sunday and was towed to the gate after losing the hood of the engine.
The Boeing plane bound for Houston Hobby Airport with 135 passengers and six crew members on board reached an altitude of about 10,300 feet (3,140 m) before returning 25 minutes after takeoff.
The passengers arrived in Houston on another Southwest plane about four hours late. Southwest said maintenance crews were examining the plane.
The plane entered service in June 2015, according to FAA records. Boeing referred questions to Southwest.
The airline declined to say when the plane’s engine was last serviced.
ABC News aired video posted on social media platform X of the torn engine hood flapping in the wind with a torn Southwest logo.
Boeing has faced heavy criticism since a door grab panel ripped off a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet at an altitude of 16,000 feet on January 5.
Following the incident, the FAA grounded the MAX 9 for several weeks, prohibited Boeing from increasing the MAX’s production rate, and ordered it to develop a comprehensive plan to address “systemic flight control issues.” quality” within 90 days.
Boeing’s production fell below the maximum of 38 MAX planes per month allowed by the FAA. The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the MAX 9 incident.
The 737-800 is part of the previous generation of the best-selling 737, known as the 737 NG, which in turn was replaced by the 737 MAX.
The FAA is investigating several other recent problems with Boeing’s Southwest engines.
A Southwest 737 flight aborted its takeoff and returned to the gate at Lubbock Airport in Texas on Thursday after the crew reported engine problems. The FAA is also investigating a March 25 Southwest 737 flight that returned to the Austin, Texas, airport after the crew reported a possible engine problem.
A March 22 Southwest 737-800 flight returned to Fort Lauderdale Airport after the crew reported an engine problem. It is also under review by the FAA.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Urvi Dugar in Bangalore; editing by Lisa Shumaker, Matthew Lewis and Mark Porter)
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