Delta 737 wing flap partially detaches mid-flight

A wing flap partially detached from Boeing 737 during a Delta Air Lines Flight as the plane approached Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas on Tuesday.

Delta Air Lines confirmed that Flight 1893, flying from Orlando to Austin, landed safely and that the aircraft has been taken out of service for maintenance. There were 62 passengers and six crew members onboard, and no injuries are reported. 

After landing, the airline said in a statement that "it was observed that a portion of the left wing's flap was not in place." 

"The aircraft has been taken out of service for maintenance," they concluded in their statement  referenced by CNN. 

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident and Delta has agreed to fully cooperate.

A passenger captured video of the partially detached flap dangling from the wing as the plane approached the airport.

"We felt it was bad turbulence. The plane was shaking," passenger Shanila Arif told CNN.

"The lady in front of us opened the window and told us it is broken. I opened the window and got scared." 

Aircraft wings flaps are movable surfaces on the wing's trailing edge that help a plane slow down and maintain lift during takeoff and landing, according to the FAA.

Partial wing flaps detaching in flight are extremely rare and could pose serious risks.

Such detachments can sometimes result from mechanical and structural issues, which are usually identified in maintenance checks.

FAA experts note that flap mechanisms are routinely inspected, as they endure repeated stress during takeoff and landing.

The FAA has investigated similar structural incidents in the past, including rare cases of wing components loosening during flight.

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