Tuesday, 16 September 2025

Engine Fire Delays Flight On Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

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An engine fire on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 delayed its scheduled takeoff to Las Vegas on Thursday.

The Southwest plane, departing from Lubbock, Texas, returned to the gate after the flight crew reported a possible engine fire.

“Lubbock Fire Rescue Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) units are staged at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport for Boeing 737 with both reported engine failure and engine fire,” Lubbock Fire Rescue said.

USA TODAY reports:

After the fire Thursday, the city said runway 17R was closed for cleaning and inspection. The airport urged travelers to check with their airline for up-to-date flight status information.

In a statement to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, Southwest estimated that the travelers, who were put on another plane, would arrive in Las Vegas about three hours behind schedule.

The FAA is investigating the incident.

From the Associated Press:

The flight was headed to Las Vegas with 154 passengers and crew of six on board, Southwest said. The airline flew in a replacement plane from Dallas to complete the trip later Thursday night.

The plane was a Boeing 737-800, an older model than the 737 Max. The engines are made by CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and France’s Safran S.A.

“We had gotten to the acceleration part of take-off, about to lift off, and you could hear a 'thump' and the plane swerved and we came to a stop,” one passenger told a local media station, according to ABC News.

Per ABC News:

“It didn't seem scary. We thought a tire had blown out … but the pilot came on and said, 'The engine had ingested something, and a flame had come out,'” Powell told KABC.

She said they had to wait about 10 minutes while the fire department cooled the brakes down before heading back to the gate.

The plane was able to return to the gate using its own power, the city said.

The airport said in a statement all passengers were able to safely deplane and return to the terminal while Southwest worked to accommodate customers and get them on another aircraft.

As of 7 p.m. local time, runway 17R was closed for cleaning and inspection, according to the city.

LFR said there weren't any reported injuries.

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