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Multiple passenger videos show the terrifying moment that an engine cover was ripped off a Boeing 737-800 during takeoff from Denver International Airport.
Southwest Airlines flight 3695, traveling from Denver to Houston, was forced to make an emergency landing to its point of origin when its right engine exterior paneling peeled back like the lid to a sardine can during takeoff.
Scary moments for passengers on a Southwest flight from Denver to Houston when the engine cover ripped off during flight , forcing the plane to return to Denver Sunday morning. pic.twitter.com/BBpCBXpTsl
— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) April 7, 2024
“Southwest Airlines flight 3695 returned safely to Denver International airport around 8:15 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 7, after the crew reported the engine cowling fell off during takeoff and struck the wing flap,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement, per MotorBiscuit.com. “The Boeing 737-800 was towed to the gate. The aircraft was headed to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information.”
According to the Wall Street Journal…
Last week, a Southwest Boeing 737 flight bound for Las Vegas was canceled after an engine caught fire shortly after the plane taxied from the gate at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport in Texas. Last month, a Southwest Boeing flight from Austin, Texas, turned around midflight after its crew reported a possible engine issue, according to the FAA.
The crews for two separate Southwest Boeing flights on March 22 reported issues related to a flap and an engine, respectively, the FAA’s website shows.
Southwest Airlines flight 3695 reportedly had 135 passengers, two lap-held infants, and six crew members on board at the time of the incident.
“We apologized to those Customers for the inconvenience of their delay and our Maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft,” Southwest Airlines told Gizmodo in an email. “We place our highest priority on ultimate Safety for our Customers and Employees,” Southwest Airlines said. “The investigation is still underway, and we do not have anything additional to add at this time.”
In January, a door plug on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 blew off the Boeing 737 while flying at about 16,000 feet.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) inspected the door plug after it landed in someone’s backyard and determined, according to MotorBiscuit.com, that the four bolts used to secure the door weren’t present when the plug was sucked off of the plane.
That incident ended up costing Boeing $160 million in initial compensation to Alaska Airlines and the eventual resignation of company CEO Dave Calhoun.
Last month, a United Airlines Boeing 777 lost a tire after takeoff, damaging several vehicles on the ground.
All of these incidents have caused so much concern that it led one person to create of a website where travelers can check to see if their flight will involve traveling on a Boeing plane.