A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Houston immediately returned to Denver Sunday morning after a removable sheet of metal covering one of the Boeing 737-800’s engines sheared off during takeoff.
The engine cowling detached and struck one of the plane’s wing flaps, the Federal Aviation Administration tells KDVR.
The plane took off from Denver International Airport around 8:15 a.m., headed for William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. After safely landing back in Denver it was towed to the gate, the outlet writes.
The FAA is currently investigating the incident.
Southwest did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
