DENVER — A Southwest flight had to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Denver International Airport Sunday morning.
A passenger on the flight posted a video of debris flying off of the plane as it was moving down a runway at DIA. A picture posted from after the plane's safe landing shows sizable pieces missing from the plane's right engine.
The flight took off from Denver just around 7:50 a.m. Sunday. Its intended destination was Houston's Hobby Airport.
From air traffic control recordings from LiveATC.net, the Southwest pilot told a DIA air traffic controller, "For now everything's okay. We don't even know the nature of it, but apparently several passengers and flight attendants heard something loud hit the wing."
About a minute later, the pilot told the DIA tower, "Let's go ahead and declare an emergency for Southwest 3695. We'd like an immediate return. We have a piece of the engine cowling hanging off apparently."
Roughly three minutes after the emergency declaration, the pilot then said, "I'm not a 100% sure it was the engine. I think the flaps on the inboard side of the engine... between the engine and the fuselage ripped off on takeoff. We don't actually see it from the cockpit, that's just what the crew in back is telling us. Our engines seem to be fine, but we are structurally damaged."
The plane, which was carrying 143 people total, made it back to DIA safely. A DIA spokesperson said the plane was towed back to a gate where passengers deplaned.
The FAA, in a statement, said in part:
"Southwest Airlines Flight 3695 returned safely to Denver International airport around 8:15 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 7, after the crew reported the engine cowling fell off during takeoff and struck the wing flap. The Boeing 737-800 was towed to the gate. The FAA will investigate."
In a brief statement, a Southwest spokesperson said:
"Southwest Flight 3695 returned to Denver International Airport this morning and landed safely after experiencing a mechanical issue. We're working now to get customers on their way to Houston on another aircraft. Our maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft."
According to FlightAware.com, passengers were able to get on another plane that took off around 10:40 a.m.
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