Aircraft involved in accident - Two individuals sustain injuries
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 experienced a sudden descent near Hollywood Burbank Airport, California, on Friday, to avoid a potential midair collision prompted by two onboard traffic alerts that warned of nearby conflicting traffic.
The crew initially climbed and then made an immediate descent in response to these alerts, which originated from the plane’s Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), designed to prevent collisions by advising evasive maneuvers. This sudden drop of nearly 500 feet occurred shortly after takeoff and caused injuries to two flight attendants and panic among passengers.
The warning and the subsequent descent were triggered by these onboard traffic alerts indicating a close proximity to a military Hawker Hunter aircraft near Burbank. The flight crew followed the TCAS instructions — first climbing, then descending — to maintain safe separation from the other aircraft. Flight data showed the Boeing 737 descended from about 14,100 feet to 13,625 feet in a little over 30 seconds as part of this maneuver.
Southwest Airlines has cooperated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is investigating the incident formally. Despite the turbulence and injuries, the flight continued safely to Las Vegas and landed uneventfully.
The incident is currently being investigated, and the FAA's involvement indicates that the incident may have involved a potential breach of aviation regulations. CNN reported that a military aircraft was nearby, which could have triggered the alarm. There were no indications of a near-collision in the airspace over Hollywood Burbank Airport.
The change of course was prompted by a warning of another aircraft nearby, and the incident did not result in any reported injuries to passengers, apart from the two injured flight attendants. This event highlights the critical safety role of TCAS in preventing midair collisions by providing urgent evasive commands to pilots.
| Aspect | Details | |---------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | Aircraft | Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 | | Location | Near Hollywood Burbank Airport, California | | Trigger | Two onboard TCAS traffic alerts indicating collision risk | | Response | Climb followed by immediate descent (~500 feet drop) | | Cause of alert | Nearby military Hawker Hunter aircraft | | Result | Injuries to 2 flight attendants; passenger panic | | Investigation | FAA investigating; Southwest cooperating | | Military aircraft involved | Possible involvement of a military Hawker Hunter aircraft | | Passenger injuries | No injuries reported among passengers, apart from the two flight attendants | | Location of incident | Los Angeles, California | | Date of incident | Friday (local time) |
- The incident on Friday near Hollywood Burbank Airport involved a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a military Hawker Hunter aircraft, highlighting the critical service that TCAS provides in the aerospace industry.
- The involvement of a military aircraft and the subsequent investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration raises questions about potential breaches in the finance and regulation aspects of the aviation industry.
