Summary
- Southwest Airlines flight experienced a mechanical issue causing engine fire during takeoff, prompting an emergency return to Houston Hobby.
- Flames and black smoke were visibly seen from the ground as the aircraft climbed to only 3,000 feet.
- The incident occurred shortly after another near collision involving a Southwest Airlines flight in San Diego.
A Southwest Airlines aircraft reportedly experienced an in-flight mechanical issue. The issue caused an engine fire, and reports from the ground said that fire and black plumes of smoke were seen from the right-hand engine shortly after taking off.
The mechanical issue leads to engine fire
The Boeing 737-700 aircraft with a registered tail number of N7737E was assigned to Southwest Flight 307. The flight was departing from William P. Hobby International Airport (HOU) in Houston, Texas, and was set to fly to Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico.
However, as the aircraft initially climbed out of Houston Hobby's runway 31L, it experienced a mechanical issue. The right-hand engine began emitting loud banging sounds, and streaks of flames were seen spouting out the back of the engine. The crew immediately jumped into action and halted its climb at 3,000 feet. The crew also shut down the engine and began its return to Houston Hobby. The aircraft touched down at Houston Hobby for a safe landing on runway 04 approximately 15 minutes after its initial departure.
The aircraft then left the runway and stopped for inspection by emergency services. A replacement Boeing 737-700, registered as N555LV, was put into action as a replacement. It reached the initial destination of Cancun about two and a half hours late. Southwest Airlines released a statement saying,
"Southwest Flight #307 from Houston Hobby (HOU) to Cancun (CUN) returned to the airport on Tuesday night after experiencing a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff. The aircraft landed safely and was taken out of service for review. A different aircraft continued the flight to Cancun last evening, and we appreciate our Customers’ patience and support."
Flames were seen from the ground
Due to the aircraft being in its initial climb from Houston Hobby, the Boeing 737 was only about 3,000 feet above the ground when it began to experience the engine fire. Therefore, several people on the ground could see flames coming from the right-hand engine.
Houston resident, Andrew Sandino, was leaving work near the airport when he noticed the aircraft taking off. He quickly realized that flames and black plumes of smoke were coming out of the engine under the right-hand wing. Sandino spoke to NBC News about the incident, saying,
"I noticed big black plumes of smoke coming out the right engine, and then it started shooting really big fireballs out, and the plane was shifting back and forth, side to side, pretty heavily. I was thinking this plane may crash. If that engine just completely explodes and sends shrapnel everywhere, the plane is going to fizzle out and hit the ground."
Sandino attempted to take pictures of the aircraft as it circled around to return to Houston Hobby after its diversion.
Southwest Airlines has also been in the news recently due to a near collision in San Diego. The Southwest Boeing 737 came within 100 feet of a Cessna Citation business jet at San Diego International Airport earlier this week.
Source: NBC News