Southwest Airlines is facing another investigation after one of its flights flew dangerously low while approaching Tampa, Florida. The plane came within 150 feet of the water before the pilots increased thrust to climb and then diverted to Fort Lauderdale. This is the third such incident in the last four months.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is looking into this latest event involving a Boeing 737 MAX 8 that was traveling from Columbus, Ohio.
Southwest Airlines stated that Flight 425 safely landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on July 14 after deciding not to land in Tampa. The plane briefly stopped in Fort Lauderdale before returning to Tampa.
Southwest said they are working closely with the FAA to address any issues and emphasize that safety is their top priority.
Flight tracking data showed that the plane should have been about 1,200 feet above the ground when approaching Tampa. An air traffic controller warned the pilot when the plane dropped to 150 feet, which happened during poor weather and thunderstorms. The pilot then corrected the altitude.
Earlier last month, a Southwest jet approaching Oklahoma City also descended too low, but the pilot was warned by air traffic control and landed safely.
In April, another Southwest flight to Hawaii fell rapidly to just 400 feet above the ocean. An inexperienced co-pilot had accidentally pushed a control forward, but the pilot corrected the issue by increasing engine thrust to climb quickly.