A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Houston was forced to return to Denver International Airport after part of the engine cowling fell off and struck the wing flap during takeoff. The incident occurred on Sunday morning as Flight 3695 was departing at 8:15 am. The 135 passengers on board were unharmed, and the plane landed safely back at the airport. Passengers described feeling a bump and jolt before witnessing the cowling detach from the engine. Southwest Airlines stated that the aircraft experienced a mechanical issue but landed safely. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that they will be investigating the incident on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The affected passengers were later flown to Houston on another flight, arriving three hours behind schedule. This incident is the latest in a series of issues plaguing Boeing, including a recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the Alaska Airlines incident, focusing on whether Boeing complied with a settlement agreement following previous crashes involving the 737 MAX aircraft. Southwest Airlines is currently inspecting the aircraft, and the FAA will also be conducting their investigation. This incident follows another recent malfunction involving a Southwest Airlines flight with an engine fire reported before takeoff at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport.