Southwest Airlines flight WN1496 from Burbank to Las Vegas (Boeing 737-700 reg. N249WN) made a sudden altitude change shortly after takeoff on Friday to avoid a potential mid-air collision. The rapid descent lifted passengers out of their seats and left two flight attendants injured. Passengers described the incident as terrifying, with some believing the plane was going to crash.
The FAA has launched an investigation, while Southwest confirmed that the crew responded to onboard traffic alerts requiring evasive action. Comedian Jimmy Dore, a passenger, stated the pilot cited a near-collision with another aircraft. Flight tracking data later revealed the commercial jet came dangerously close to a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet.
The Southwest plane continued to Las Vegas and landed safely. This incident follows a similar near-miss involving a Delta flight less than a week earlier.
This post was published on 27 July 2025 22:38
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