Another Boeing 737 Forced to Make Emergency Landing Minutes After Takeoff

Another Boeing 737 passenger plane had to make an emergency landing last week just minutes after it took flight.

United Airlines Flight 166 declared an emergency landing back to Fukuoka Airport, Japan, last Friday after noticing an "irregularity in a wing flap" 30 minutes after takeoff, Kyodo News reported.

The flight, originally set for Guam, reported no passengers were injured during the emergency landing.

The incident in Japan was days after two more accidents involving the 737 aircraft were reported in Senegal and Turkey.

At least 11 passengers were reportedly injured in the Senegal flight after the B737-300 plane skidded off the runway just before takeoff.

Before the two flights, a 737-800 passenger jet under Southwest Airlines returned to Denver minutes after takeoff after one of its engine panels was removed during the flight.

This was after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 also declared an emergency landing back in January after one of its plug panels blew out midflight, prompting the series of investigations launched against the embattled company.

Flight 1282 operated on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

Boeing 737 Under Regulatory Scrutiny Amid Increased Flight Accidents

Following the series of incidents revolving around its 737 planes, Boeing is receiving more attention from regulators and media regarding the safety of its vehicles.

The Federal Aviation Agency has already reported dozens of production issues with Boeing 737 MAX.

The agency noted "multiple instances" that the aerospace company and its manufacturer Spirit Aerosystems failed to comply with safety and quality-control conditions in building the planes.

Now, another FAA investigation is being launched after the company admitted to its employees falsifying inspection records of its 787 Dreamliner jets.

Boeing Could Face Criminal Charges Over 737 Incidents

Regulatory scrutiny is not the only problem Boeing is currently facing from the 737-linked incidents.

The US Department of Justice has earlier opened a criminal investigation regarding the Alaska Airlines accident.

This is in addition to reports of the Federal Bureau of Investigation telling Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 passengers that they could be "victims of crime."

It can be remembered that Boeing promised to improve the production safety of its planes following the two reported 737 MAX crashes in 2019 and 2020 that resulted in 346 passengers' deaths.

Amid the fiasco, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has announced his resignation as chief executive by the end of this year.