On a flight from Burbank to Las Vegas, Southwest Airlines faced chaos when the aircraft abruptly descended. Passengers reported the descent was linked to a near collision, injuring two flight attendants. The FAA is currently investigating the incident.
Near Miss Scare for Southwest Flight as Rapid Descent Causes Injuries
Near Miss Scare for Southwest Flight as Rapid Descent Causes Injuries
A Southwest Airlines flight experiences a dramatic altitude drop, injuring crew members and prompting an FAA investigation after a potential collision scare.
A Southwest Airlines flight encountered a shocking situation shortly after takeoff from Hollywood Burbank Airport in Los Angeles on Friday. The aircraft, Flight 1496, was en route to Las Vegas when it abruptly dropped in altitude, leading to injuries among the flight attendants onboard. Eyewitnesses reported that the pilot was forced to take evasive actions to prevent a potential collision with another plane.
According to a statement from Southwest Airlines, the crew had to respond to multiple onboard traffic alerts that necessitated rapid altitude changes to ensure safety. As the plane experienced its steep descent, passengers were startled and lifted from their seats. Notably, stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore, who was on board, described the situation on social media, stating that a collision warning prompted the urgent maneuver. “His collision warning went off & he needed to avoid a plane coming at us. Wow,” Dore recounted.
Multiple eyewitness accounts revealed the level of panic during the descent. Passenger Caitlin Burdi expressed her fear, saying, "It was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash." Following landing, which the airline described as "uneventful," the pilot addressed the passengers and clarified that they had nearly collided with another aircraft, emphasizing that communication had been lost with air traffic control.
Flight tracking data, as reported by CNN, indicated that the Southwest plane was close to being intercepted by a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet, which had taken off from El Paso, Texas. The two aircraft came within a few hundred feet of each other's altitude, escalating the urgency for corrective measures by the crew.
In light of this incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an investigation into the aviation safety event. They reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring safety across the national airspace. Southwest Airlines acknowledged the professionalism of their crew and expressed their dedication to passenger and employee safety. The airlines’ concerns come just days after a separate event involving a Delta regional flight that also made a sudden maneuver to avoid a US military aircraft.
