A Southwest Airlines passenger plane narrowly avoided a dangerous situation while landing in Oklahoma City, dropping sharply and passing just 500 feet over buildings. The incident occurred just after midnight on Wednesday when a Boeing 737-800 flight from Las Vegas was cleared to land at Will Rogers Airport. However, the plane unexpectedly descended rapidly, prompting the air traffic controller to issue a low altitude alert.
“Southwest 4069, low altitude alert. You good out there?” the controller warned.
The plane, carrying passengers, flew within 500 feet of a school building before regaining its altitude, according to The Oklahoman. It then circled the airport and landed safely on a different runway.
The close call caused significant anxiety among local residents, with many taking to social media to express their concern. One resident in a Facebook group described being woken up by the incident, fearing the plane would hit their house.
In response, Southwest Airlines stated on Thursday that they were cooperating with US aviation authorities to investigate the cause of the unusual approach. “Southwest is following its robust Safety Management System and is in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration to understand and address any irregularities with the aircraft’s approach to the airport. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees,” an airline spokesperson told the media.
