A Southwest Boeing 737 took an unexpected dive to under 500 feet over a neighborhood in Oklahoma, giving residents a heart-stopping moment.
Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Southwest Airlines Flight 4069, a 737, was about nine miles from Will Rogers World Airport. The aircraft descended to an altitude of 400 to 500 feet, flying over a high school in Yukon, Oklahoma. Doorbell camera footage captured the Boeing 737 MAX-8 soaring above houses before it flew out of frame.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, and Southwest Airlines has confirmed their cooperation to address any 'irregularities'.
The doorbell camera footage of the Southwest Boeing 737 giving a residential neighborhood a surprise flyby landed on X (formerly Twitter).
NEW: Southwest Boeing 737 plunges to less than 500 feet over an Oklahoma neighborhood, triggering alarms and terrifying residents ‘Thought it was gonna hit my house’
“Southwest 4069, low altitude alert,” an air traffic controller warned. “You good out there?”
Southwest Airlines… pic.twitter.com/vdpG0CSeQC
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) June 21, 2024
Of course, denizens of X weighed in on the alarming footage. One onlooker wrote, "this is a joke at this point. literally every week or so there's a Boeing malfunction. how long until a complete failure and kill 300 people? terrifying." Another X user agreed, adding "So when are we going to ground all 737s?"
However, some felt that the incident was more likely caused by the pilot. "The competency crisis continues," an X user bemoaned.
The Southwest Boeing Came Close Enough to Jostle Residents in the Neighborhood Awake
Meanwhile, a resident was jolted awake by the sound of the plane's engine, fearing that the aircraft might be on a collision course. "It woke me up and I thought it was gonna hit my house," the resident wrote on the "Yukon Happenings Facebook" page, per The Oklahoman.
The abrupt descent also led air traffic control to contact the pilot and inquire about the flight's status.
"Southwest 4069, low altitude alert," the air traffic controller said in an audio archive of the transmission. "You good out there?" he asked.
The pilot of the commercial flight from Las Vegas confirmed there were no issues with the aircraft. He maneuvered to regain altitude swiftly. The plane, which had descended to approximately 450 feet, climbed to over 1,000 feet as it flew over Yukon High School.
The aircraft then landed safely on a different runway at the airport. According to The Oklahoman, Air Traffic Control confirmed that there were no issues with the Boeing 737 Max-8.
Southwest officials announced they are collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration to ascertain the cause of the sudden descent.
"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," the airline said in a statement.
"Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees," they added.
