A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 arrives at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on January 20, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Kevin Carter | Getty Images
The engine cover fell off a South West Airlines Boeing 737-800 and struck a wing flap during takeoff from Denver International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday.
The FAA said Southwest Flight 3695 was en route to Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and returned safely to the Denver gate at 8:15 a.m. local time. Southwest said passengers on the flight were transferred to a different plane and were expected to arrive at their destination three hours late.
“Our maintenance teams are examining the aircraft,” Southwest said. The FAA said it is investigating the crash. Southwest did not immediately respond when asked when the plane and engine last underwent maintenance.
In response to a request for comment, Boeing referred to Southwest’s statement.
The loss of the cowl comes as the FAA investigates a separate crash in the Southwest that occurred in March. One of its flights veered off course and flew near the air traffic control tower at LaGuardia Airport while attempting a landing in New York.
The plane is an older model of the Boeing 737 than the Max jets. Boeing is under intense regulatory scrutiny after a January incident when a door plug blew off a nearly new 737 Max 9 when the Alaska Airlines flight was at 16,000 feet, causing a near-catastrophe.
Boeing’s quality control problems have turned into safety problems, slowing deliveries of new Max planes. Big Boeing customers like Southwest and United they say the problems have affected their growth plans.
The long-awaited FAA certification of its 737 Max 7 and Max 10 models is also behind previous schedules. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun last month said he would step down by the end of the year, and Boeing replaced the president and CEO of its commercial aircraft unit.
