In a dramatic turn of events, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 was forced to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport after a part of its engine detached during takeoff, striking the wing flap. The incident, which occurred on a flight bound for Houston, has raised fresh concerns about the safety of air travel.
The flight, Southwest Airlines 3695, was in the process of taking off when the engine's cowling began to peel away. A passenger on the flight captured the terrifying moment on video, showing the engine cover flying off and striking the aircraft's wing flap. The passenger described the ordeal as "frightening."
"People in the exit row across from me started yelling at the flight attendants and showing them the damage. We turned around and made a full-speed landing. The pilots did a great job on the landing," the passenger said.
The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) confirmed that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft was towed back to the gate after landing around 8:15 a.m. Sunday. All passengers were checked out and cleared by the local fire department before boarding another plane to Houston's William P. Hobby Airport.
Southwest Airlines issued a statement in response to the incident, stating, "Southwest Flight 3695 returned to Denver International Airport this morning and landed safely after experiencing a mechanical issue." The airline added that its maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft.
This incident comes on the heels of another near-miss involving a Southwest Airlines 737 at LaGuardia Airport in March. The FAA is currently investigating the incident, which saw the aircraft forced to abort its landing due to turbulence and low visibility.
The FAA has been grappling with an increase in near-miss incidents, with a recent report revealing staffing issues and technology problems as contributing factors. The FAA has since taken steps to address these issues, including hiring over 1,500 new controllers in 2023 and putting another 2,600 in different levels of training throughout the country.
As investigations into these incidents continue, the safety of air travel remains a top priority for both airlines and regulatory bodies. The FAA, for instance, has committed more than $1 billion in Airport Infrastructure grants to improve passenger facilities and promote sustainability.
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