A routine Delta Air Lines flight turned into a terrifying incident when passengers noticed a section of the aircraft’s wing was partially detached and dangling mid-flight on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
The incident involved Delta Flight 1893, in which a Boeing 737 departed from Orlando International Airport and safely landed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
One of the passengers, Shanila Arif, captured this harrowing event on camera.
In the footage, a dangling wing flap is clearly visible. Wing flaps are a highly crucial aerodynamic surface during takeoff and landing as they increase wing camber and surface area to generate more lift and drag, enabling smoother takeoff and slower landing speeds and shorter takeoff/ landing rolls.
The video shows the wing flap swinging loosely from the left wing as the plane flew at approximately 12,000 feet.
As reported by CNN, one of the passengers shared his experience, “We felt it was bad turbulence. The plane was shaking.”
“The lady in front of us opened the window and told us it is broken. I opened the window and got scared.”
The passengers also raised concern that if the piece broke off completely, it could strike the aircraft’s tail, potentially causing a catastrophic incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the incident was reported around 3:10 p.m. local time after landing safely.
Delta Air Lines issued an official statement assuring that the aircraft had been taken out of service for immediate maintenance.
“After landing, it was observed that a portion of the left wing’s flap was not in place. We apologize to our customers for their experience as nothing is more important than the safety of our people and customers,” the airline stated.
A total of 62 passengers were onboard along with six crew members. The incident involves a Boeing 737, a model that has been under intense scrutiny from regulators and the public following a series of other safety-related issues this year.