FAA Probes Southwest Near-Miss Over California \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A Southwest Airlines jet plunged suddenly mid-flight to avoid an oncoming aircraft, terrifying passengers before landing safely in Las Vegas. The FAA is investigating the near-collision, which happened near Burbank. The incident adds to growing concerns over U.S. aviation safety.
Quick Looks
- A Southwest Airlines flight dropped hundreds of feet to avoid another aircraft
- Passengers described panic and screaming as the plane descended sharply
- The pilot told passengers they had narrowly avoided a midair collision
- FAA says Southwest 1496 responded to an in-flight alert of nearby traffic
- The Boeing 737 was flying from Burbank to Las Vegas on Friday
- Southwest confirmed the crew responded to two safety alerts in-flight
- A woman not wearing a seatbelt was thrown from her seat
- Multiple passengers reported intense fear and panic onboard
- The other aircraft was a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 owned by a defense firm
- The FAA is investigating the airspace incident near Burbank
- Southwest said the flight continued to Las Vegas and landed safely
- The event follows a string of aviation safety scares in recent months
Deep Look
Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight experienced a terrifying midair incident Friday when their Boeing 737 made a rapid descent to avoid a potential collision with another aircraft shortly after takeoff from Hollywood Burbank Airport in California. The event unfolded in a matter of seconds, but for those onboard, it felt like an eternity of fear, uncertainty, and panic.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a formal investigation into the near-miss, which occurred as Southwest Flight 1496 climbed out of Burbank en route to Las Vegas. According to preliminary information, the aircraft was forced to quickly descend several hundred feet after receiving a series of cockpit alerts indicating nearby air traffic. The pilot told passengers post-flight that they had narrowly avoided colliding with another plane.
That other aircraft, identified by flight-tracking site FlightAware, was a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 — a military jet owned by U.K.-based defense contractor Hawker Hunter Aviation. The company has not yet responded to media inquiries about the incident.
The Southwest jet had just departed shortly before noon when it abruptly changed altitude. Tracking data showed the aircraft plunged hundreds of feet in roughly 30 seconds. What appeared to be routine turbulence to those watching from the ground felt like a freefall inside the cabin.
“We really thought we were plummeting into a plane crash,” said passenger Caitlin Burdi, who recounted the chilling moments in an interview with Fox News Digital after landing safely in Las Vegas. She described an initial dip followed by a much steeper, more intense drop that sent passengers screaming. The panic inside the plane was instant and intense, she said.
Comedian Stef Zamorano, also on the flight, told the Associated Press she saw a woman without a seatbelt fly upward from her seat as a man beside her grabbed her arm to keep her steady. “The woman across the aisle from me was saying exactly what I was thinking — ‘I want to get off this plane. I want to be on the ground,’” Zamorano recalled. “People were visibly shaken and terrified.”
The FAA confirmed that the flight was responding to an onboard Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alert — an automated cockpit system that warns pilots when aircraft are in dangerously close proximity. According to officials, Flight 1496 initially received an alert to climb, followed moments later by a second alert prompting a descent. The crew responded accordingly and averted what could have been a catastrophic midair collision.
Southwest Airlines said the jet continued its journey and landed safely and uneventfully in Las Vegas. In a statement, the airline emphasized that “the safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority,” and confirmed it is fully cooperating with the FAA to understand exactly what happened during the incident.
While midair collisions are extremely rare in modern aviation due to advancements in radar, satellite tracking, and pilot alert systems, this episode is one of several recent incidents that have raised alarms about the growing number of close calls in U.S. airspace. Experts warn that increasing congestion in both civilian and military flight paths is straining current systems and demanding renewed focus on air traffic coordination.
According to FlightAware, the aircraft that came dangerously close to the Southwest flight — the Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 — is an older, military-style aircraft often used in training and defense simulations. These aircraft operate under different aviation regulations and flight patterns, especially if they are being used for contracted military exercises. Questions remain as to why it was flying in such proximity to a commercial airliner’s flight path.
The FAA has not confirmed how close the two aircraft came to colliding, but analysts believe the TCAS triggered alerts due to a separation breach — typically defined as two aircraft coming within 1,000 vertical feet or 3 to 5 nautical miles laterally.
Aviation expert John Nance, a former pilot and ABC News analyst, explained that while TCAS systems have dramatically reduced midair incidents, they are not foolproof. “The fact that the alert system gave both a climb and a descent instruction suggests a highly dynamic situation in the sky,” he said. “It was very likely a close call, and the pilot had only seconds to react.”
Though the plane landed safely and no injuries were reported, the emotional impact on passengers was significant. Burdi, Zamorano, and others described the fear of being seconds from disaster — and the subsequent relief of touching down safely in Las Vegas.
For aviation watchdogs, this near-miss is yet another data point in a troubling trend. The incident follows a series of recent close calls and fatal crashes, including a midair collision over Washington, D.C. in January that killed 67 people. Though that tragedy involved smaller, private aircraft, it highlighted the urgent need to reevaluate airspace usage and improve coordination among civilian, commercial, and military operations.
“This situation is a wake-up call,” said safety consultant Marissa Cole, who advises several aviation agencies. “Airspace around urban centers like Burbank and Los Angeles is becoming increasingly congested. Without updated protocols and clearer segregation of flight corridors, the chances of these near-misses becoming tragedies rise significantly.”
While the FAA investigates, Southwest is expected to conduct an internal safety review. The flight crew, whose quick reaction likely prevented a collision, is being lauded for their handling of the emergency. No crew member has publicly spoken about the event.
Still, some lawmakers and airline advocacy groups are calling for more than investigations. They are pushing for new investments in the FAA’s air traffic control modernization efforts, including broader use of satellite-based tracking and real-time flight coordination tools across both commercial and non-commercial aircraft.
Meanwhile, passengers like Burdi are left with a lasting memory of how close they came to tragedy. “The pilot was calm, and the crew did their job, but it was terrifying,” she said. “I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life.”
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