Federal investigators have launched yet another investigation into a Boeing aircraft after an engine cowling of a Southwest Airlines aircraft blew off in flight.
Having departed Denver bound for Houston on Sunday morning local time, the aircraft carrying 135 passengers and six crew returned and landed safely back in Denver.
The aeroplane involved was a 2015 Boeing 737-800, a predecessor generation of the aircraft manufacturer’s latest single-aisle, narrow-body passenger jet, the Boeing 737 Max, which has been mired in controversy.
Southwest, America’s largest domestic budget carrier, took responsibility for the incident, saying that it was in charge of looking after the cowling — the structure which covers the engine — and that it would launch an investigation into its maintenance protocols.
Boeing spokesmen said that the incident was a matter for Southwest.
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The Seattle-based manufacturer’s reputation has been shredded in recent times over its best-selling short-haul aircraft, culminating with the departure, announced last month, of its chief executive Dave Calhoun.
The 737 Max has had a troubled history since it began flying commercially in 2017. The aircraft type had two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people. All 737 Max planes were grounded until late 2020.
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This year, a panel covering a redundant emergency exit on an Air Alaska 737 Max blew off during flight, causing injuries but no fatalities. The aircraft type was again grounded for global fleet checks.
The 737 Max production schedule has also been routinely delayed by manufacturing issues. The knock-on effect of that has been felt by airlines such as Ryanair, which plans to be the biggest user of the aircraft but which has reined back profit forecasts because of delays in their delivery. The 737 Max flies with a larger capacity than older 737s and with lower fuel burn.
