FAA Investigates Southwest Airlines Incident: Engine Falls Off Boeing 737-800 Mid-Flight

Southwest Airlines is experiencing repeated returns to the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States announced on the 7th (local time) that it would investigate an incident in which a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 engine fell off during takeoff and hit the wing flap, originating from Denver.

Flight Southwest 3695, carrying 135 passengers and 6 crew members heading to Houston William P. Hobby Airport, safely returned to Denver International Airport around 8:15 a.m. local time and was towed to the gate. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Southwest Airlines boarded the passengers on another flight to Houston about 3 hours later than scheduled, and the maintenance team is examining the aircraft.

The 737-800 is an early generation of the 737, currently a MAX bestseller.

According to FAA records, this aircraft started operation in June 2015.

Boeing has requested information from Southwest Airlines regarding aircraft and fleet operations, but Southwest Airlines did not disclose when the aircraft engine was last serviced.

The FAA is investigating several recent engine issues with Southwest Airlines’ Boeing aircraft.

A Southwest 737 passenger plane returned to the gate at Texas Lubbock Airport last Thursday after crew members reported an engine issue and aborted takeoff. The FAA is also investigating a Southwest 737 passenger plane that returned to Texas Austin Airport on March 25th after crew members reported an engine issue.

Additionally, on March 22nd, a Southwest 737-800 flight returned to Fort Lauderdale Airport after crew members reported an engine issue, which the FAA is currently reviewing.

In contrast, Boeing has faced intense criticism since a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 aircraft lost a door plug panel at 16,000 feet on January 5th.

Following the incident, the FAA grounded the Max 9 for several weeks, banned Boeing from increasing Max production, and ordered a comprehensive plan to resolve systemic quality management issues within 90 days.

This led to Boeing’s production dropping below the FAA-approved maximum of 38 units per month, and the Department of Justice began a criminal investigation into the MAX 9 incident.