Investigation launched after Boeing engine cover falls off during flight
Airline investigators in the US are investigating how an engine flap of a Boeing 737 fell off and struck the wing flap during take-off.
The Southwest Airlines jet was forced to return to Denver International Airport on Sunday (7 April) at 8.15am after the mishap, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US.
After the plane landed safely it was towed to a gate and the passengers who were headed to Houston boarded another aircraft, Southwest Airlines said in a statement.
The airline also said maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft and nobody aboard was injured.
The airline declined to say when the engine of the plane, which entered service in June 2015 engine, last had a maintenance.
In a statement the airline said: “We apologise 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.”
When contacted for comment, Boeing said it was referring questions to Southwest for information about the airline’s airplane and fleet operations.
A series of aviation mishaps on Boeing planes in recent months have damaged the aircraft manufacturer’s reputation and led to people fearing their planes are unsafe.
In one mishap, which is being investigated by the FAA, a flight from Texas cancelled on Thursday after a report of a blaze in one of the two engines that was extinguished by firefighters.
The FAA is also investigating a 25 March Southwest 737 flight returning to the Austin airport in Texas after the crew reported a possible engine issue.
In another incident in January saw the the door plug of a commercial Boeing 737 Max 9 tore off as the aircraft was climbing, leaving a gaping hole on the side of the plane. No one on board the Alaska Airlines flight was seriously injured.
Last month, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s sudden mid-air nosedive left at least 50 passengers injured. An investigation into the Latam Airlines flight on Monday is reportedly focusing on the movement of a flight deck seat.
In another incident in March a United Airlines Boeing 777-300 aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Sydney after suffering a mid-air fuel leak.
Additional reporting by Reuters.
