Following an incident on Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation after a Southwest Airlines aircraft suffered damage to one of its wing flaps due to the detachment of an engine cowling on a Boeing 737-800.

BBC News

Passengers could see the engine cover ripped apart, with a torn Southwest emblem blowing in the wind. Passengers watched as the cover was being pulled off and flew over the plane's wing.

This was just one of several reported safety concerns for the Boeing 737 model. The latest incident took place at 10,300 ft (3,140 m) without any injuries, and the Houston bound Southwest flight 3695 was able to return to Denver International Airport (DEN) safely shortly after takeoff.

Guardian

After the incident, Southwest Airlines released a statement confirming that it was in charge of the aircraft's maintaining and that one of its maintenance crews will inspect the aircraft. The company said that customer and staff safety comes first at all times.

Boeing declined to answer questions. According to the FAA, the plane has been in service since June 2015 and is the third generation of the highly popular 737 NG, or Next Generation. The 737 MAX replaced the model.

Boeing plane engine cover falls off prompting investigation

Boeing plane engine cover falls off prompting investigation

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Boeing plane engine cover falls off prompting investigation

Boeing plane engine cover falls off prompting investigation

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