Boeing MAX Plane's Near Disaster Sparks New Federal Probe

 

 

By Adeola Adeosun

Weekend Night Editor

 

 

 

 

 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a harrowing incident involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 that reportedly plummeted within mere hundreds of feet of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii in April, the agency confirmed via email to Newsweek on Saturday.

Southwest Flight 2786, en route from Honolulu to Lihue on April 11, encountered adverse weather conditions near Kauai, forcing pilots to abort their initial landing attempt. Shortly after, the plane experienced a rapid descent towards the ocean, according to air traffic control audio reviewed by CBS News. The flight crew managed to regain control and safely return to Honolulu.

A memo distributed by Southwest to its pilots last week, obtained by Bloomberg News, revealed that the aircraft came within 400 feet of the ocean's surface. The jet reportedly plunged at a rate exceeding 4,000 feet per minute before the pilots successfully pulled up, averting a potential disaster. No passengers or crew members were reported injured during the ordeal.

Southwest Airlines addressed the incident in a statement to Newsweek on Saturday via email, emphasizing its commitment to safety. "Nothing is more important to Southwest than safety. Through our robust Safety Management System, the event was addressed appropriately as we always strive for continuous improvement," the airline said.

This incident comes on the heels of another episode involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8. Federal officials announced on Thursday that they are investigating an unusual rolling motion experienced by a May 25 flight from Phoenix to Oakland, California, possibly caused by a faulty backup power-control unit.

The FAA, in collaboration with Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is probing the incident. Southwest, meanwhile, has pledged its cooperation with the investigation.

Updated information from the NTSB on Friday indicated that the plane entered a "Dutch roll" while cruising at approximately 34,000 feet. This phenomenon, named after the swaying motion of a Dutch ice skater, involves the aircraft's tail sliding and the plane rocking from one wingtip to the other. Pilots receive training to recover from such extreme situations, and the aircraft safely touched down in Oakland roughly an hour later.

The Boeing 737 Max series has been under intense scrutiny following two devastating crashes in 2018 and 2019, which claimed a total of 346 lives. The tragedies were attributed to a flawed automated flight control system, leading to a global grounding of the aircraft. After extensive investigations, software updates, and enhanced pilot training, the FAA cleared the 737 Max to return to service in November 2020.

As investigations into both Southwest Airlines events progress, the aviation industry and the public await further insights into the causes and any necessary steps to prevent future occurrences.