CNN reports Alaska Airlines Flight 588 experienced an engine cowling issue, forcing the flight to return to the airport for a repair.

Flyers Alerted of Issue From “A Little Pop” Sound

The situation took place on Monday, August 22, 2022, after the aircraft departed around 7:30 a.m. local time. Shortly after takeoff, flyers say they heard a sound like “a little pop” followed by a vibration, alerting them to the aircraft issue.

A photo shared online showed a part of the engine cowling on one engine had come loose during takeoff. The decision was quickly made to return to Seattle to repair the aircraft. By the time the aircraft landed, the cowling piece was completely removed from the airframe.

A spokesperson for Alaska Airlines confirmed to CNN all 176 passengers and six crew members were able to return to the airport without incident, and were placed on a flight to their final destination of San Diego approximately 2.5 hours later. The carrier praised the professionalism of the crew in ensuring the safety of everyone aboard.

“The two pilots who operated the flight have more than 32 years of combined flying experience,” the statement from Alaska to CNN stated. “They, along with our flight attendants, handled the incident with tremendous professionalism and care.”

In the meantime, the aircraft will remain out of service as the airline investigates what caused the cowling to fail. It is unclear if this issue may affect other aircraft in the fleet.

Source: frugal travel guy