Southwest jet flew dangerously low to ground, FAA wants to know why
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it has launched an investigation into why a Southwest Airlines jet flew dangerously low near an Oklahoma neighborhood on Wednesday, June 19. As the plane dipped hundreds of feet above the ground, an air traffic controller at Will Rogers Airport became alerted by a low altitude “automated warning.” He then contacted the flight crew to notify them of the situation.
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Boeing 737 inexplicably flies 500 feet over neighborhood, startling residents
Click to see story on The IndependentFederal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight over Oklahoma City suburbs
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsSouthwest flight drops to about 500 feet over Oklahoma suburb, triggers alert: ‘You good?’
Click to see story on USA TodaySouthwest Boeing 737 dives below 500ft over Oklahoma neighbourhood, triggers ‘low-altitude alert’
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesFederal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight over Oklahoma City suburbs
Click to see story on abc NewsSouthwest flight flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
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Click to see story on abc30 NewsFAA investigating after Southwest Airlines plane flew as low as 525 feet over Oklahoma neighborhood
Click to see story on Koco News5FAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning – Boston News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WHDHFAA investigating after Southwest Airlines plane flew unusually low over Oklahoma City
Click to see story on NBC BostonFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WSVNFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on CTV NewsFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
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Click to see story on Hawaii Tribune-HeraldFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on WAAY-TVFAA investigating Southwest Airlines flight that flew 525 feet over Oklahoma town
Click to see story on Scripps NewsFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
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“Southwest 4069, low altitude alert,” the air traffic controller said. “You good out there?”
“Yeah, we’re going around, 4069,” one of the pilots replied.
The plane flew past an Oklahoma City suburb nine miles away from the airport, around 525 feet above the ground, before quickly regaining altitude and circling around for a safe landing.
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Officials with the airport told Fox Business that the jet missed its approach but there are no issues with the aircraft.
In response to the low altitude incident, Southwest Airlines released a statement on Thursday, June 20.
“Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees,” the statement read. “Southwest is following its robust safety management system and is in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration to understand and address any irregularities with the aircraft’s approach to the airport.”
This is the second incident in 2024 involving a Southwest jet narrowly avoiding the ground. In April, the crew of Southwest Flight 2786 called off its approach into Lihue Airport on the island of Kauai but then dropped to just 400 feet above the Pacific Ocean instead of ascending.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
THE FAA IS INVESTIGATING WHY A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES JET FLEW DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO AN OKLAHOMA NEIGHBORHOOD WEDNESDAY.
AS THE PLANE DIPPED TO JUST HUNDREDS OF FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ALERTED BY AN “AUTOMATED WARNING” CONTACTED THE PILOTS.
TAKE A LISTEN.
[WILL ROGERS TOWER COMMUNICATING WITH SWA4069]
SOUTHWEST 4069, LOW ALTITUDE ALERT. YOU GOOD OUT THERE? //YEAH, WE’RE GOING AROUND, 4069.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
THE PLANE BRUSHED PAST THE OKLAHOMA CITY SUBURB JUST OVER 500 FEET FROM THE GROUND BEFORE QUICKLY REGAINING ALTITUDE AND CIRCLING AROUND FOR A SAFE LANDING.
OFFICIALS WITH THE AIRPORT SAID THE JET MISSED ITS APPROACH BUT THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES RELEASED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE, SAYING:
“NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT TO SOUTHWEST THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES. SOUTHWEST IS FOLLOWING ITS ROBUST SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND IS IN CONTACT WITH THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS ANY IRREGULARITIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT’S APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT.”
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Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Boeing 737 inexplicably flies 500 feet over neighborhood, startling residents
Click to see story on The IndependentFederal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight over Oklahoma City suburbs
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsSouthwest flight drops to about 500 feet over Oklahoma suburb, triggers alert: ‘You good?’
Click to see story on USA TodaySouthwest Boeing 737 dives below 500ft over Oklahoma neighbourhood, triggers ‘low-altitude alert’
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesFederal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight over Oklahoma City suburbs
Click to see story on abc NewsSouthwest flight flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on CNNFederal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight over Oklahoma City suburbs
Click to see story on NBC NewsFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc 6 PhiladelphiaFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc 13 HoustonFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc11 RaleighFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc 7 NewsFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc30 NewsFAA investigating after Southwest Airlines plane flew as low as 525 feet over Oklahoma neighborhood
Click to see story on Koco News5FAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning – Boston News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WHDHFAA investigating after Southwest Airlines plane flew unusually low over Oklahoma City
Click to see story on NBC BostonFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WSVNFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on CTV NewsFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on KRDOFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on KIFIFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on KVIAFAA investigating after Southwest 737 flies 500 feet above Oklahoma city
Click to see story on The HillFAA probes low-flying Southwest Airlines flight near Oklahoma City | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Click to see story on Star AdvertiserSouthwest jet flies hundreds of feet above homes on approach to Oklahoma City
Click to see story on UPIFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc 7 ChicagoSouthwest flight from Las Vegas buzzes Oklahoma school
Click to see story on Las Vegas Review-JournalFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc 7 LAFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town
Click to see story on abc 7 NYUS FAA probes low-flying Southwest Airlines flight near Oklahoma City
Click to see story on WTVBFederal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight over Oklahoma City suburbs
Click to see story on KOB 4Federal officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines low flight
Click to see story on Spectrum Local NewsSouthwest jet buzzes Oklahoma neighborhood
Click to see story on KFOR-TVUS FAA probes low-flying Southwest Airlines flight near Oklahoma City – Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Click to see story on Hawaii Tribune-HeraldFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on WAAY-TVFAA investigating Southwest Airlines flight that flew 525 feet over Oklahoma town
Click to see story on Scripps NewsFAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 525 feet above Oklahoma town, triggering altitude warning
Click to see story on News15 | Lafayette, LASouthwest Boeing 737 inexplicably dives, flies below 500 feet over neighborhood: ‘Thought it was gonna hit my house’
Click to see story on New York PostThe US is investigating Boeing’s dangerous decline over Oklahoma City
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]Southwest flight heading for Oklahoma City dives to 500 feet above neighborhood
Click to see story on Fox BusinessRight
Untracked Bias
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