Southwest Airlines Flight Experiences Dramatic Drop, Injures Crew

Passengers aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 1496 witnessed a shocking drop in altitude shortly after taking off from Hollywood Burbank Airport, resulting in injuries to two flight attendants. The incident, linked to a collision warning, is currently under investigation by the FAA.

A Southwest Airlines flight experienced a shocking drop in altitude shortly after takeoff from Hollywood Burbank Airport on Friday, injuring two flight attendants. Flight 1496 was headed to Las Vegas when the pilot was compelled to make a sudden maneuver to avoid a potential collision with another aircraft, according to reports from passengers.

Following an alarming plummet that reportedly lifted passengers out of their seats, the airline confirmed that the crew responded to two onboard traffic alerts, necessitating a rapid climb and descent. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into the incident, emphasizing that safety in the national airspace remains a priority.

Among the passengers was stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore, who shared on social media that the flight crew had received a collision warning that prompted the daring maneuver. “The pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid a plane coming at us. Wow,” Dore posted, adding that one flight attendant required medical assistance.

Another passenger, Caitlin Burdi, recounted the terrifying experience to Fox News, saying, "We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash," as screams filled the cabin during the descent. She remembered the pilot explaining that they had nearly collided with another plane and had lost communication with air traffic control.

Reports suggest that the plane was nearly intercepted by a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet shortly after takeoff. The jet, which had departed from El Paso, Texas, was flying to Oxnard, California, and crossed less than two miles in front of the Southwest flight at a similar altitude.

In a statement, Southwest Airlines confirmed the flight continued safely to Las Vegas, where it landed without further incident. The airline emphasized its commitment to passenger and crew safety and expressed gratitude for the professionalism of their team during this alarming situation.

This dramatic incident follows another near miss, where a Delta regional flight was forced to make evasive maneuvers to avoid a US military aircraft. The increasing frequency of such near-miss incidents raises concerns about aviation safety as regulators and airlines work to address the challenges within this critical system.