During take-off, the engine cowling of a Southwest 737-800 fell off.

On April 7 2024, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 had to return to Denver International Airport after one of its engine cowling fell off during take-off and hit a wing flap. This incident was reported by the flight crew of Southwest Flight 3695, which was departing from Denver and heading towards Houston Hobby airport. The passengers of the flight were later transferred to another aircraft and reached their destination with a delay of three hours. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft to identify the cause of the engine cowling falling off.

Although the exact MSN and registration numbers of the aircraft have not been confirmed by Southwest Airlines, it is known that Boeing delivered the 737-800 MSN 36903 to Southwest in May 2015. The CFM56-powered 737-800 has no history of accidents.