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broke down
Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight to Houston watched in horror Sunday as the Boeing 737-800's engine appeared to disintegrate mid-flight.
The flight immediately returned to Denver after crew members noticed that a removable metal panel covering one of the plane's engines had come off during takeoff.
in A terrifying video was posted on the X website By Sam Sweeney, ABC Senior Transport Correspondent The metal bonnet can be seen swaying in the breeze like paper as it is being torn apart.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that a part of the plane called the engine cowling broke off and struck one of the plane's wings.
A Southwest spokesperson told The Post via email that the accident was the result of a “mechanical issue.”
Southwest Flight 3695 returned to Denver International Airport this morning and landed safely after experiencing a mechanical issue. “Our customers will arrive at Houston Hobby on another plane, approximately three hours behind schedule,” a Southwest spokesperson told The Post.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay, but we place the highest priority on the utmost safety of our customers and employees. Our maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft.
The plane took off from Denver International Airport at approximately 7:49 a.m. local time, heading to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston.
The plane returned to Denver just 25 minutes later, landing at 8:14 a.m. before being towed to the gate.
The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the accident.
A Boeing spokesperson directed The Post's inquiries to Southwest.
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