A Southwest Airlines flight from Lubbock to Las Vegas was delayed on Thursday after the crew reported an engine fire on the Boing 737 aircraft in the latest safety incident to impact the aircraft manufacturer.
The fire was reportedly contained to one engine, and all passengers and crew were evacuated from the aircraft with no injuries, but the incident forced the Lubbock Preston Smith Airport to close a runway while cleanup crews addressed the situation.
Early reports on social media indicated the aircraft had already taken off when the engine fire was reported, but it was later confirmed the plane was staging for takeoff when the fire occurred. No cause for the fire has yet been officially established, but the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, according to a report from The Dallas Morning News.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Boeing is facing significant quality control issues stemming from corporate practices that have allegedly prioritized shareholder earnings — and potentially “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives — over quality. In recent months, Boeing aircraft have experienced a number of significant incidents, including a door plug blowing off mid-flight, a cracked windshield, and improperly installed bolts on a rudder control system.
The issues have resulted in a significant slowdown in aircraft production, leaving some airlines to request that pilots take unpaid leave.
The rash of problems at Boeing has already forced the company’s CEO to announce he would depart the aircraft company by the end of the year and other senior executives have also left.
Recently, a whistleblower who was scheduled to meet with lawyers to discuss systemic production problems at Boeing was found dead of an apparent suicide, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The aircraft involved in Thursday’s engine fire emergency is an older model of the 737, not the 737 Max that has been at the center of many of the incidents in recent months. Southwest Airlines, the aircraft operator, said in a statement to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and USA Today that passengers were placed on another flight and arrived in Las Vegas about three hours later than anticipated.
