Latest news with #CaitlinBurdi
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
Jet drops 500 feet to avoid mid-air collision, flyer says 'tower of terror ride'
Passengers on Southwest Flight 1496, travelling from Burbank, California to Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday experienced a sudden and steep descent shortly after takeoff when the aircraft took evasive action to avoid a potential mid-air collision, according to passengers and airline passenger, Caitlin Burdi, described the incident as alarming, as per Fox News report. 'About 10 minutes into the flight, we plummeted pretty within two seconds, it felt like the Tower of Terror ride. We fell 20 to 30 feet in the air,' she said. 'The screaming, it was terrifying. We really thought we were heading into a crash.'advertisementBurdi added that the pilot later addressed passengers, saying the aircraft had narrowly avoided a collision with another plane and had to make an emergency descent due to a temporary loss of contact with air traffic control. "It was absolutely terrifying," Burdi said in an on-camera interview. "I just remember him saying, 'What just happened was we almost collided with another plane, and I had to make the emergency attempt to go under because we lost service with the air traffic controller.'" Fox News (@FoxNews) July 25, 2025Two flight attendants were injured during the incident and are currently receiving medical care. No passenger injuries were officially Flight 1496, bound for Las Vegas, briefly descended by nearly 500 feet, according to a Reuters report. The aircraft later continued its journey and landed without further marks the second such incident involving a US commercial aircraft within a week and appears to be the fourth case involving military aircraft since to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the airline, the crew received cockpit alerts warning of nearby traffic in close proximity. In response, the pilots performed vertical manoeuvres, both climbing and descending, to avoid potential other aircraft involved was identified by flight tracking service Flightradar24 as a Hawker Hunter, a British-built fighter jet. The two planes came within 4.86 miles laterally and 350 feet vertically of each FAA has launched an investigation. The US Air Force and Department of Defence have not commented on the presence of the military aircraft near Hollywood Burbank to a statement from Southwest Airlines, the crew responded to 'two onboard traffic alerts' during takeoff, which required immediate changes in altitude in compliance with standard collision-avoidance on July 18, a SkyWest Airlines jet operating as a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis reported a near miss with a US Air Force B-52 bomber during approach to Minot International Airport in North Dakota. The SkyWest flight landed safely and the FAA is currently investigating the Air Force stated that the B-52 crew had been in communication with local air traffic control during a ceremonial flyover for the North Dakota State Fair, but that tower personnel did not inform them of the incoming commercial the Minot control tower is operated by a private contractor, not the a separate incident under investigation, on March 28, a Delta Airbus A319 and four Air Force T-38 jets came into close proximity near Reagan Washington National Airport. The military aircraft were en route to perform a ceremonial flyover at Arlington National focus on airspace coordination between civilian and military aircraft has increased since January 29, when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet near Reagan National Airport, resulting in 67 fatalities.- Ends IN THIS STORY#United States of America
The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Passengers evacuated after American Airlines plane catches fire at Denver Airport
Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 that took a dramatic plunge to avoid an oncoming aircraft were told by the pilot that they nearly struck another plane before landing safely in Las Vegas. The incident happened on American Airlines Flight 3023, which was scheduled to fly from Denver to Miami. The problem was reported while the aircraft was still on the runway. The Denver Fire Department said it responded to the incident and managed to extinguish the fire. 'All 173 passengers and six crew members on board the Boeing 737 Max 8 were safely removed from the aircraft,' Fox News reported. Five people were evaluated for injuries but did not require hospitalisation. However, one person was taken to a medical facility for a minor injury, according to Fox News. In a statement to Fox Business, American Airlines said, 'American Airlines Flight 3023 experienced a mechanical issue on take-off roll at Denver International Airport (DEN). All customers and crew members deplaned safely, and the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection by our maintenance team. We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologise to our customers for their experience.' The airline confirmed that the aircraft had a maintenance issue with a tyre, and the affected passengers would travel to Miami on a replacement flight later the same day. Caitlin Burdi, who was on the flight, said it took a short plunge and then a more drastic drop as passengers screamed in terror. 'We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash,' Burdi told Fox News Digital in an interview at the Las Vegas airport. She said the pilot told passengers they had nearly collided with another plane. The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight, Southwest 1496, was responding to an onboard alert about another aircraft in its vicinity. The FAA is investigating. Southwest said the crew responded to two alerts that required the pilot to climb then descend. The flight left Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon. Another passenger was panicking and said that she wanted 'to get off this plane'. The plane was in the same airspace near Burbank as a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware. Records show it is owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation, a British defence contracting company. Southwest said the flight continued to Las Vegas, 'where it landed uneventfully'. The airline said that it is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 'to further understand the circumstances' of the event. This close call is just the latest incident to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Southwest passenger describes horror of plummeting mid-air as screams filled the cabin as pilot avoided crash
A passenger aboard a Southwest flight that was forced to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a mid-air collision said screams filled the cabin as they narrowly missed another aircraft. Caitlin Burdi told Fox News that she feared for her life aboard the flight on Friday from Burbank, California, to Las Vegas when the jet dropped 475 feet within seconds to avoid colliding with a Hawker Hunter military fighter aircraft in its path. 'About 10 minutes into the flight, we plummeted pretty far, and I looked around, and everyone was like, "OK, that's normal",' Burdi said. 'Then, within two seconds, it felt like the ride Tower of Terror, where we fell 20 to 30 feet in the air. The screaming, it was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash. 'It was absolutely terrifying, just remember him saying, "What just happened was we almost collided with another plane, and I had to make the emergency attempt to go under because we lost service with the air traffic controller."' Southwest passengers were hurled out of their seats and onto the plane's ceiling and two flight attendants were injured after the pilot made the evasive maneuver. Southwest Flight 1496 was climbing towards its cruising altitude on the 73-minute journey to Las Vegas at around 11am on Friday and was passing through 14,100 ft when the plane suddenly plunged without warning. The military jet was at 14,653 ft. Also among the passengers included comedian Jimmy Dore, who described the terrifying few seconds when 'plenty of people flew out of their seats.' Two flight attendants were hurt during the ordeal, according to the airline. The commercial aircraft continued its journey and landed safely in Las Vegas. 'Just now on SW Flight #1496 Burbank to Las Vegas,' the comedian posted to X and his 700,000 followers. 'Pilot had to dive aggressively to avoid midair collision over Burbank airport. Myself & plenty of people flew out of their seats & bumped heads on ceiling, a flight attendant needed medical attention,' Dore explained in his post. 'Pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid plane coming at us. Wow.' Dore said the pilot later told passengers that an aircraft collision warning had been triggered in the cockpit, forcing him to take immediate action to avoid another plane. Video shared by Dore's producer Stef Zamorano showed shaken passengers moments after the ordeal, still trying to process what had just occurred. 'Just a few minutes ago we ended up having crazy turbulence on this flight,' Zamorano said in the clip. 'Jimmy, have you ever had that kind of experience before?', she asked. 'Turns out that turbulence was the pilot taking an aggressive move because there was another plane coming at us. That's what it was. It was collision avoidance,' Dore explained. Dore said several passengers were violently flung upwards from their seats as the aircraft dropped suddenly. 'We were all shaken up,' Zamorano wrote. 'The flight erupted with applause once we landed.' 'The Crew of Southwest Flight 1496 responded to two onboard traffic alerts Friday afternoon while climbing out of Burbank, California requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts,' the airline said in a statement. 'Southwest is engaged with the Federal Aviation Administration to further understand the circumstances. No injuries were immediately reported by Customers, but two Flight Attendants are being treated for injuries.' Another passenger on board, Steve Ulasewicz told NBC LA the dip occurred about eight minutes into the flight and lasted for about eight to 10 seconds. Ulasewicz said passengers were screaming during the drop before the plane leveled out. He explained how the pilot used software to avoid a midair collision. 'Felt a significant drop. The plane was just in a freefall. It was pandemonium,' Ulasewicz said. The drop occurred about a minute after the crew announced the beverage service was about to begin. Other passengers also commented online. 'Our pilot had to make the most insane dive ever to avoid the other aircraft,' one of the passengers wrote on Reddit. 'So many of us flew out of our seats for about 20 seconds, even with seatbelts on, and one of the flight attendants got hurt and needed medical attention after we landed,' the passenger recounted. 'I just wanted to thank the pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendants for keeping us safe.' Passengers said one flight attendant was dazed after hitting her head while another said he was quitting. Hollywood Burbank Airport said authorities are 'looking into the incident, however, there is currently no evidence that it occurred within the airspace above our airport.' An FAA spokesperson told on Friday night that, 'Southwest Airlines Flight 1496 responded to an onboard alert that another aircraft was in the vicinity while in Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center airspace. The FAA is investigating the event that occurred around 11am local time on Friday, July 25.' Sources familiar with aircraft warning systems say a TCAS alert likely triggered the evasive action. When the system detects another aircraft converging on a dangerous flight path, pilots are instructed to immediately alter altitude or direction - usually within seconds. Preliminary data shows the planes were several miles apart when the pilots received their alerts. The comedian detailed what happened in a post to his X account Near-miss incidents in congested airspace such as Los Angeles can occur when multiple departures or arrivals cross paths at varying altitudes, especially near busy hubs like LAX and Burbank airports. This close call is just the latest incident to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. Friday's incident comes just days after a similar scare on a Delta flight that narrowly avoided a military B-52 bomber, raising fresh concerns over air traffic safety in crowded US airspace. 'For those of you on the right-hand side, you probably saw the airplane kind of sort of coming at us,' the Delta pilot told passengers over the intercom after safely landing. 'Nobody told us about it… Sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise. This is not normal at all.' Flight DL3788 was forced to abort its landing, circle the airport and perform a go-around after an air traffic controller failed to warn the pilot of the approaching bomber. According to flight data, the aircraft made sharp turns and climbed abruptly to escape the collision path. While no injuries were reported in the Delta incident, passengers were visibly shaken. One woman said, 'We all just kind of looked at each other and stayed quiet. It felt like something really serious had just happened.' The Southwest and Delta incidents, occurring within a week of one another have reignited public concern over air traffic safety and coordination between commercial airlines and military aircraft, as well as the reliability of radar and separation systems in congested airspace. While mid-air collisions remain exceedingly rare, experts note that 'near misses' have been rising in frequency due to increased traffic volume, outdated radar coverage in some regions, and pressure on Air Traffic Control systems.
News18
5 days ago
- General
- News18
Shocking plunge by Southwest flight departing LA was to avoid another aircraft
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Las Vegas, Jul 26 (AP) Passengers aboard a Southwest Airline jet that took a dramatic plunge to avoid an oncoming aircraft were told by the pilot that they nearly struck another plane before landing safely in Las Vegas. The Boeing 737 jet dropped hundreds of feet in a little over 30 seconds during a flight on Friday, according to a flight tracking website. Caitlin Burdi, who was on the flight, said it took a short plunge and then a more drastic drop as passengers screamed in terror. 'We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash," Burdi told Fox News Digital in an interview at the Las Vegas airport. She said the pilot told passengers they had nearly collided with another plane. The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight, Southwest 1496, was responding to an on board alert about another aircraft in its vicinity. The FAA is investigating. Southwest said the crew responded to two alerts that required the pilot to climb then descend. The flight left Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon. Another passenger, comedian Stef Zamorano, said she saw a woman who wasn't wearing her seat belt shoot up and out of her seat, and a man next to her was clutching her arm. A woman across the aisle was panicking, she said. 'She was pretty much verbalizing how we all felt, saying, I want to get off this plane. I want to be on the ground'," Zamorano told The Associated Press on Friday. Another woman was panicking and saying she wanted 'to get off this plane." The plane was in the same airspace near Burbank as a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58, according to the flight tracking site, FlightAware. Records show it is owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation, a British defence contracting company. The company didn't respond to messages on Friday and Saturday seeking comment. Southwest said the flight continued to Las Vegas, 'where it landed uneventfully." The airline said that it is working with the FAA 'to further understand the circumstances" of the event. This close call is just the latest incident to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, DC, that killed 67 people. (AP) RD RD view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 00:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Shocking plunge by Southwest flight departing L.A. was to avoid another aircraft
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Passengers aboard a Southwest Airline jet that took a dramatic plunge to avoid an oncoming aircraft were told by the pilot that they nearly struck another plane before landing safely in Las Vegas. The Boeing 737 jet dropped hundreds of feet in a little over 30 seconds during a flight on Friday, according to a flight tracking website. Caitlin Burdi, who was on the flight, said it took a short plunge and then a more drastic drop as passengers screamed in terror. 'We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash,' Burdi told Fox News Digital in an interview at the Las Vegas airport. She said the pilot told passengers they had nearly collided with another plane. The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight, Southwest 1496, was responding to an on board alert about another aircraft in its vicinity. The FAA is investigating. Southwest said the crew responded to two alerts that required the pilot to climb then descend. The flight left Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon. Another passenger, comedian Stef Zamorano, said she saw a woman who wasn't wearing her seat belt shoot up and out of her seat, and a man next to her was clutching her arm. A woman across the aisle was panicking, she said. 'She was pretty much verbalizing how we all felt, saying, 'I want to get off this plane. I want to be on the ground',' Zamorano told The Associated Press on Friday. Another woman was panicking and saying she wanted 'to get off this plane.' The plane was in the same airspace near Burbank as a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58, according to the flight tracking site, FlightAware. Records show it is owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation, a British defense contracting company. Southwest said the flight continued to Las Vegas, 'where it landed uneventfully.' The airline said that it is working with the FAA 'to further understand the circumstances' of the event. This close call is just the latest incident to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.
