FAA Probes Safety Incidents in Southwest Airlines

The FAA is investigating several safety incidents involving Southwest Airlines flights, including a recent dangerously low-altitude flight over Tampa Bay. Other incidents include near-miss altitude drops and control mishandling which raises concerns about flight safety. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are actively investigating these occurrences.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Saturday that it is probing a recent Southwest Airlines flight that descended to an alarmingly low altitude over Tampa Bay, Florida. According to Flightradar24 data, the July 14th flight from Columbus, Ohio, dropped to 175 feet approximately 3 miles from the Tampa airport.

Southwest Airlines is collaborating with the FAA to address any 'irregularities' associated with the flight. The airline emphasized that customer and employee safety remains their utmost priority. This incident adds to a series of similar events that question Southwest Airlines' safety protocols. In April, a Southwest flight descended to just 400 feet above the ocean off Hawaii due to an inadvertent control column push by the first officer.

The FAA is also investigating a separate low-altitude flight near Oklahoma City airport, where Southwest Airlines Flight 4069 dropped to around 500 feet. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board is scrutinizing a 'Dutch roll' incident aboard a Southwest 737 MAX at 34,000 feet during a flight from Phoenix to Oakland. Further concern arises from a June 25th flight that took off from a closed runway in Portland, Maine.

(With inputs from agencies.)