A Southwest flight flew so dangerously low over a Yukon, Oklahoma high school and neighborhood, residents "thought the plane was going to hit their homes," according to WHAS11. And it wasn't until an alarmed air traffic controller intervened that the pilot corrected the plane's course.
"Southwest 4069, low altitude alert. You good out there?" the air controller said, noticing that the Boeing 737-800, which was headed into Oklahoma City from Las Vegas, had descended to just a little over 500 feet and was still nine miles from Will Rogers Airport.
It was an automated warning that had alerted the air traffic controller just a little after midnight on Wednesday. And as of yet, the reasons for the plane's dramatic dip are not clear.
From CNN:
After the descent stopped, the Boeing 737-800 climbed briefly and then maneuvered for a successful landing at Oklahoma City, tracking data show.
The FAA, in a statement to CNN, said it was investigating the incident, adding: "After an automated warning sounded, an air traffic controller alerted the crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 4069 that the aircraft had descended to a low altitude nine miles away from Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City."
This is the second Southwest plane in two months that has dipped to an extremely low altitude. In April, Southwest Flight 2786 "plunged to 400 feet above the Pacific Ocean" near Kauai.
(See more details in video below, posted by Good Morning America.)
Previously: A Southwest flight headed to Florida fills up with smoke after the plane collides with birds
