A Boeing 737 Max 8 narrowly avoided disaster off Kauai, Hawaii, when bad weather forced a drastic course change, bringing the plane within 400 feet of the Pacific Ocean.
In a flight memo obtained by Bloomberg news, it was confirmed that Southwest flight 2786 departed on April 11 from Honolulu International Airport to Lihue Airport in Kauai.
The aircraft plummeted nearly 16,000 feet to an altitude of 409 feet following an aborted landing attempt as a result of stormy weather.
The Southwest memo revealed the close call stemmed from a failed landing attempt in Kauai due to poor visibility that prevented the pilots from spotting the runway at their descent altitude.
The memo also noted that the despite the bad weather, the captain insisted that the ‘newer’ first officer take command of the 100-mile interisland flight.
With fewer miles under his belt, the less-experienced first officer made a critical error and accidentally pushed the controls forward, throwing the plane off balance and causing a rapid descent after reducing speed.
The warning system sounded off as a result of the pilot’s sudden movement, warning him that the plane was coming too close to the ground.
Per the memo, the captain instructed the first officer to boost engine power, forcing the aircraft into a steep climb of 8,500 feet per minute.
Although the interisland trip should have only taken 22 minutes, the flight took nearly an hour and a half to land. The flight departed at 6:45 pm and landed at 8:09 pm.
Thankfully, no one was injured.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Southwest Airlines wrote: ‘Nothing is more important to Southwest than safety. Through our robust Safety Management System, the event was addressed appropriately as we always strive for continuous improvement.’
The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the situation.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
