Southwest Airlines Flight Drops Dangerously Close to Ocean Before Emergency Diversion to Fort Lauderdale from Tampa

A recent Southwest Airlines flight experienced a nerve-wracking situation when it came dangerously close to the ocean while attempting to land.

Nancy Allen, who was on the Boeing 737 MAX 8, captured the terrifying moment as the plane descended towards Tampa, Florida.

Earlier this month, Allen was traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Tampa when the plane’s descent took a shocking turn. Despite being four miles from the airport, flight data indicated the aircraft plummeted to just 175 feet above the ground.

An air traffic controller had to intervene and inform the crew of their dangerously low altitude, prompting a diversion to Fort Lauderdale, approximately 200 miles away.

Panic Sets In

Allen, visibly shaken, started texting her husband in a panic as the situation unfolded.

“I was worried because of the storm in Tampa, so I opened my window,” she told WFLA. “As we approached MacDill Air Force Base, which you can’t fly over, I knew something was off.”

Her cell phone footage shows the plane climbing back up before it was redirected to Fort Lauderdale. “At that moment, I felt a rush of panic. I texted my husband saying this was sketchy and to abort,” Allen recalled.

After the flight eventually landed safely, Allen couldn’t shake the fear from the ordeal. “It was the worst flight I’ve had in a long time,” she admitted. The Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the incident to determine what went wrong.

Airline’s Response

Southwest Airlines released a statement saying, “Southwest Flight 425 safely diverted to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on July 14 after the crew discontinued their planned approach into Tampa International Airport.

The aircraft returned to Tampa after a brief stop in Fort Lauderdale. Southwest is working closely with the FAA to understand and address any issues with the aircraft’s final approach. The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority.”

Similar Incident Raises Concerns

This unsettling event follows a similar incident from late last month, where a Southwest Boeing 737 also experienced a dangerously low altitude over Oklahoma.

The plane, just nine miles from Will Rogers World Airport, dropped to between 400 and 500 feet while flying over a high school. Doorbell camera footage captured the aircraft hovering over houses before moving out of sight, leaving a resident startled and concerned about a possible collision.

The Boeing 737 MAX has been under scrutiny for safety issues, linked to two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.

It’s yet to be determined whether this week’s Tampa incident was due to aircraft malfunction or pilot error.