Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Diverts to Chicago O'Hare Due to Engine Problem

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 had to divert back to Chicago O'Hare Airport following an engine overheating warning. The incident occurred on June 25, 2024, shortly after the aircraft took off from Chicago Midway Airport.

The flight, operating as WN1042 from Chicago Midway (MDW) to Montego Bay (MBJ), took off at 10:23 AM local time. Shortly after departure, the crew received an engine overheat indication and decided to halt their climb at 4,000 feet, communicating with air traffic control (ATC) to remain in the area for checks. Without declaring an emergency, the crew requested permission to land at Chicago O'Hare (ORD).

The aircraft, powered by two CFM International CFM56-7B27 engines, landed safely at O'Hare at 11:01 AM, approximately 40 minutes after takeoff. Passengers were subsequently transferred to a replacement Boeing 737 MAX 8, reaching Montego Bay around 9:30 PM, about seven hours behind schedule.

The involved aircraft, a 10-year-old Boeing 737-800 registered as N8623F, was delivered to Southwest Airlines in December 2013. With over 35,000 flight hours and nearly 17,000 flight cycles, the plane remained in Chicago overnight before resuming service to Dallas the following day.

Earlier reports indicate that N8623F was previously involved in a potential engine fire incident during takeoff in April, where the flight crew aborted the takeoff roll, and emergency services were required. Additionally, another Southwest 737-800 experienced a concerning incident earlier this year when an engine cowling detached and struck a wing flap soon after takeoff, necessitating a safe return to Houston.