A Southwest plane had to descend mid-flight to avoid colliding with another plane
A Southwest flight leaving Burbank for Las Vegas descended abruptly to avoid colliding with another plane in mid-air
A Southwest Airlines flight leaving Burbank, California, on Friday for Las Vegas, Nevada, descended rapidly to avoid an accident due to the presence of another aircraft in the area, which injured two flight attendants and frightened passengers, according to authorities and those on board.
"Southwest Airlines Flight 1496 responded to an onboard alert indicating another aircraft was in the vicinity while in the airspace of the Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Center," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported. The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m.
Two onboard alerts forced the flight to climb and descend, Southwest Airlines said in a statement.
The other aircraft involved in the traffic and collision avoidance alert was a single-seat Hawker Hunter MK 58 fighter, a source familiar with the situation told the media. The plane is registered to a company, according to FAA records.
Passengers said they were shaken up by the incident, with one saying they thought the plane was going to crash, NBC News reported.
The pilot had to bail out to avoid a mid-air collision over Burbank Airport, comedian Jimmy Dore told X. A lot of people and I were thrown out of our seats and hit our heads on the ceiling; A flight attendant required medical attention.
The plane continued on to Las Vegas and landed without incident, Southwest Airlines said.
"No injuries were immediately reported, but two flight attendants are receiving medical attention," it added.
A spokesman for Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas said medical personnel responded to the gate and one injured person was taken to a hospital.