Engine cowling falls off during takeoff on Southwest Airlines flight to Houston

DENVER — A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Houston safely returned to Denver International Airport early Sunday after the engine cowling fell off and struck the aircraft’s wing during takeoff, officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said.

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The Boeing 737-800 was headed for William P. Hobby Airport in Houston when the metal engine cover fell off, according to KDVR-TV.

The aircraft was towed to the gate after returning to Denver International Airport, KHOU-TV reported.

The incident occurred at about 8:15 a.m. MDT, according to KDVR. Southwest Airlines switched passengers to a different plane, according to KHOU.

It is unclear what caused the damage. In a statement, Southwest Airlines said a maintenance crew is evaluating the aircraft, according to the television station.

“Southwest Flight 3695 returned to Denver International Airport this morning and landed safely after experiencing a mechanical issue,” the air carrier said in its statement. “We’re working now to get customers on their way to Houston on another aircraft. Our maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft.”

The exact number of customers and crew on the flight was unclear, KDVR reported.

“Southwest Airlines Flight 3695 returned safely to Denver International Airport around 8:15 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 7, after the pilot reported the engine cowling fell off during takeoff and struck the wing flap.” the FAA said in a statement. “The Boeing 737-800 was towed to the gate. The aircraft was headed to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information.”

It is the fourth time that a Boeing plane had to either return or divert to Denver due to aircraft issues, KDVR reported.

On March 29, engine issues on a Boeing 777-200 aircraft forced a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Paris to divert to Denver International Airport, according to the television station.

In February, a United Airlines flight, a Boeing 757-200, heading to Boston from San Francisco, was forced to land in Denver after issues with a wing were reported mid-flight.

In January, a United Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C., was forced to land in Denver because of a cracked windshield, according to KDVR.

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