A Southwest Airlines flight experienced a drastic drop in altitude shortly after its departure from Hollywood Burbank Airport towards Las Vegas, raising alarms among passengers and crew. Occurring on Friday, the event was caused by the flight crew's need to alter the aircraft's trajectory to avert a possible collision with another plane.
Flight 1496, which was traveling from Burbank to Las Vegas, experienced a sudden plummet, causing passengers to be jolted from their seats and injuring two flight attendants. In a statement, Southwest Airlines clarified that the crew had to respond to two onboard traffic alerts that required immediate compliance with altitude changes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledged the incident and has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the event.
Notably onboard was stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore, who shared his experience on social media. According to Dore, the pilot indicated that a collision warning had activated, necessitating an evasive maneuver to avoid an approaching aircraft. Other passengers echoed his sentiments, describing the moment as terrifying, with one asserting that the pilot had lost communication with air traffic control during the critical incident.
Reports indicated that as the aircraft shot into the air, a privately operated Hawker Hunter fighter jet was involved, nearly crossing within a couple of miles and at a similar altitude just minutes after takeoff. Southwest Airlines confirmed that despite the alarming situation, the flight concluded its journey in Las Vegas without further issues.
The airline praised the dedicated response of the flight crew and reasserted its commitment to ensuring safety for all passengers and staff. This incident comes just days after a separate near miss involving a Delta flight in Minneapolis, underlining ongoing concerns about aviation safety and incident frequency in recent times.
