Passengers were forced to escape a Southwest Airlines flight via emergency slides at Houston Hobby Airport following an engine fire after takeoff on 17 April.
Southwest Airlines flight WN3006, a Boeing 737-800 bound for Los Cabos, Mexico, experienced a critical incident at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
Shortly after takeoff at approximately 11:15 a.m. CDT, the aircraft suffered an engine fire, prompting an immediate return to the airport. The Houston Fire Department responded, extinguishing the engine fire and a small grass fire sparked near the runway.
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Southwest Airlines WN3006 Houston-Los Cabos
The aircraft, carrying 134 passengers and crew, was brought to a stop on a taxiway. Following standard emergency procedures, the flight crew evacuated all occupants using emergency slides.
No injuries were reported. Passengers were transported to the terminal and rebooked on a replacement flight to Los Cabos.
Southwest Airlines issued a statement following the incident. “Southwest Airlines Flight 3006 landed safely at William P. Houston Hobby Airport this morning after returning due to a reported engine issue. The Crew followed procedures and assisted all 134 passengers in evacuating the aircraft.”
“Southwest is working to accommodate its customers to their final destination of Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos, Mexico. We appreciate the professionalism of our flight crew in responding to this situation. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”
Flight Details
Flight data shows that flight WN3006 had initially departed from William P. Houston Hobby Airport at 11:11 local time.
The flight had climbed to 3,000 feet before the departure procedure was terminated. A direct return to the departure airport was then carried out. The landing was then made on runway 22.
The aircraft conducting the WN3006 service to Los Cabos was a Boeing 737-800, registered N7724A. This is a 16.2 year old narrowbody aircraft belonging the carrier Southwest Airlines. It has been in service with the airline since October 2013.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the engine fire, with preliminary reports citing a possible mechanical failure.
An eyewitness, quoted by a local news outlet, described seeing flames emanating from the engine. This event comes amid heightened scrutiny of aviation safety following recent high-profile incidents.
Operations at Houston Hobby Airport resumed with minimal disruption, following the landing incident.
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