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Southwest Airlines plane flies 500 feet over OK town
Federal aviation officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines flight that flew low over an Oklahoma town, triggering an alert at air traffic control.
Fox – 4 News
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Southwest Airlines after a series of safety incidents in recent months.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the audit, and both the agency and the airline confirmed it was happening to USA TODAY.
“The FAA has increased oversight of Southwest Airlines to ensure it is complying with federal safety regulations,” the agency said in a statement. “Safety will drive the timeline.”
Southwest said it will cooperate with the FAA’s activities.
“Southwest is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration in the review of recent events,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We recently formed a dedicated team of subject-matter experts and leaders from Southwest, our union partners, and the FAA to bolster our existing (safety management system). This group is tasked with performing an in-depth, data-driven analysis to identify any opportunities for improvement.”
The FAA has been stepping up its oversight of airlines in the wake of safety incidents. In March, it announced increased monitoring of United Airlines following a series of close calls and other issues there. The Southwest audit comes after more than one plane came too close to the ground while preparing to land in recent months, and coincides with the NTSB’s ongoing investigation of the Dutch roll incident in June.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
