A Southwest Airlines plane descended prematurely Wednesday over Oklahoma City, startling residents miles from the airport, before regaining altitude and then landing safely.
After beginning a descent from 39,000 feet, the Boeing 737-800, Flight No. 4069 from Las Vegas to Oklahoma City, was still nine miles from the airport when it reached an altitude of about 525 feet, according to a report of The Associated. Tap that reported Flightradar24 data. The plane then climbed back to about 3,000 feet before landing successfully at its scheduled destination, Will Rogers World Airport, at 12:16 a.m. local time.
An automated warning was triggered by the low altitude and an air traffic controller alerted the pilots, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
“Southwest 4069, low altitude alert. Are you okay out there?’ the controller can be heard saying in a recording by LiveATC.net provided to The Oklahoman newspaper.
The FAA said it is investigating the incident.
The plane’s low point occurred approximately over Yukon City, just west of Oklahoma City. Some people in the area said on social media that they were concerned by the jet’s low pitch and noise.
“Southwest follows 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.
There is no indication that the incident was caused by mechanical failure, but Boeing planes have been involved in several recent safety incidents.
Most notably, a door panel exploded from an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet in January, prompting the temporary grounding of some planes, a plan by the company to improve safety and an apology from the company’s CEO, Dave Calhoun.
