The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating a recent instance where a Southwest Airlines flight fell to a troubling proximity to the ocean's surface en route to Tampa International Airport. On July 14, Southwest Flight 425, originating from Columbus, Ohio, triggered a low altitude alert after descending to a mere 150 feet above water while still about 5 miles from its landing destination. Subsequently, the flight was rerouted to Fort Lauderdale, which is located approximately 200 miles away, as reported by CBS News.
This is notably not an isolated event for the airline, as it echoes a similar occurrence involving a Southwest aircraft in Oklahoma City last month, where the plane also flew at alarmingly low altitudes. More distantly, a flight in April experienced an irregular dive off the coast of Hawaii, dangerously approaching 400 feet above the ocean before ascent. Flightradar24 data indicates that during the July 14 incident, the flight's lowest point was over Old Tampa Bay near the Courtney Campbell Causeway, a point where previous Southwest flights have maintained an altitude of around 1,225 feet.
Experts, including retired pilot Kent Davis, are raising concerns over the string of these events. In an interview with FOX 13 News, Davis expressed disbelief at the situation, citing "It's hard to believe" how the aircraft reached such a low altitude given the numerous warnings that should have been triggered. He surmises the cause to possibly be a pilot error or even a malfunction, emphasizing the importance of crew coordination, especially under adverse conditions.
Southwest Airlines has responded, stating they are in contact with the FAA "to understand and address any irregularities. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees." This comes amidst the FAA's ongoing probe into the flight pattern discrepancies. There's a consensus that swift investigation is critical to prevent a possible fourth threatening incident as raised by Davis, who remarked, "Now is that problem a software problem or is that problem a crew training problem? Is it an experience problem? That's all what they're going to be looking at and they've got to do it quickly because if you've got three [incidents] with the same airline... you've got to address this quickly before you have a fourth, which could be catastrophic."
For Southwest Airlines, these series of incidents have prompted a rigorous evaluation within their safety management systems, as well as sparked a discourse on aviation safety protocols. The FAA will likely reveal initial findings in a few months and a detailed report thereafter. Further details about this investigation are to be expected as the FAA delves into the specifics of these recent flight irregularities.
