An engine cowling on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 fell off during takeoff Sunday morning, prompting the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch an investigation, a spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek.
Sunday’s incident is the latest involving a Boeing aircraft to make headlines this year after the company came under scrutiny in early January when a door plug panel blew off a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 aircraft mid-flight at 16,000 feet. Following the incident, the FAA issued a temporary grounding of MAX 9 planes and ordered the company to develop a plan to address “systemic quality-control issues.”
There have been 29 incidents, accidents and occurrences involving Boeing planes globally from January 1 to April 7, according to data available from the National Transportation Safety Board’s online case analysis and reporting tool (CAROL). The search tool was not updated to include Sunday morning’s engine cowling incident at the time of publication.
While Boeing incidents have continued to dominate headlines this year, NTSB data indicates that there have been fewer issues involving the embattled company’s airplanes in 2024, according to data from CAROL. In 2023, from January 1 to April 7, a search shows 34 incidents, accidents and occurrences.
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The Latest Boeing Incident
The crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 3695 reported the engine cowling “fell off during takeoff and struck the wing flap” an FAA spokesperson told Newsweek on Sunday.
The plane returned safely to Denver International airport around 8:15 a.m. local time, the spokesperson said, adding that the Boeing 737-800 was towed to the gate and the FAA will investigate.
Video shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows the Southwest plane taxiing on the runway as the part falls off.
🚨#BREAKING: A Boeing 737 Southwest Airlines had to Make a Emergency Landing after parts of the Engine Cowling Detaches
Currently, emergency crews and authorities are on the scene after a Boeing 737-800 Southwest Airlines Flight WN3695/SWA3695 departing… pic.twitter.com/eL8pP4uuY7
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) April 7, 2024
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines told Newsweek in an email that flight 3695 experienced “a mechanical issue.”
“Our Customers arrived at Houston Hobby on another aircraft, approximately three hours behind schedule,” Southwest said in the statement. “We apologize for the inconvenience of their delay, but place our highest priority on ultimate safety for our customers and employees. Our maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft.”
A spokesperson for Boeing declined Newsweek’s request for an interview.
Here is a look at several other notable incidents since January 2024 involving Boeing planes that have sparked national and international headlines.
Alaska Airlines, January 5:
A Boeing 737 Max 9 craft operated by Alaska Airlines was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after departing Portland International Airport after a poorly installed door plug flew off in midair. Images from inside the airplane, which showed a large opening that had been left as a result, went viral online. While no one onboard the aircraft was injured, the incident ignited scrutiny over safety concerns.
Four days later, both Alaska and United Airlines reported that several Max 9 crafts were found to have loose bolts on their door plugs.
All Nippon Airways, January 13:
A Boeing 737-800 operated by Japan’s All Nippon Airways was forced to cancel its takeoff on January 13 after a window in the cockpit cracked.
Atlas Air, January 18:
Videos posted on social media on January 19 showed flames coming out of a Boeing 747-8 over Miami. The flight had been bound for Puerto Rico but was grounded after the crew detected an engine failure.
Delta Airlines, January 20:
This incident took place at Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and involved a Boeing 757. The flight, number DL982 bound for Bogota, Colombia, was taxiing on the runway to prepare for takeoff when it was discovered that its front nose wheel had fallen off and rolled away. This resulted in a delay for the international flight as the situation was resolved.
United Airlines, February 6:
United Airlines flight number 1536 was bound for the Bahamas on this date after departing New Jersey, but upon landing it was reported to have experienced stuck rubber pedals, prompting a probe from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
United Airlines, March 7:
On this date, a United Boeing 777-200 bound from San Francisco to Japan was forced to reroute to Los Angeles immediately after takeoff after one of its wheels fell off. No one was injured, but a car was heavily damaged by the wheel after it came off.
LATAM Airlines, March 11:
A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner bound from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland, New Zealand, experienced a midflight technical issue that resulted in the craft dropping midflight, injuring 50 people on board.
United Airlines, March 13:
A Boeing 777-300 bound from Sydney to San Francisco was forced to turn around and land where it started after a fuel leak was reported after takeoff.
United Airlines, March 15:
A Boeing 737-800 bound from San Francisco to Medford, Oregon, arrived at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport with an exterior panel missing, having seemingly fallen off during the flight.
Other Recent Incidents
On April 5, a pilot on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 abandoned take-off at Texas Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport after a flame shot out of an engine. Just a few hours later, an All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 reported an oil leak on arrival at Naha Airport, Japan.
The FAA is also reviewing an incident from March 22 when a Southwest 737-800 flight returned to Fort Lauderdale airport after the crew reported an engine issue, Reuters reported.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
