Southwest Airlines Flight Veers Dangerously Close to LaGuardia Tower, Federal Investigation Launched

Friday, April 5, 2024

A Southwest flight nearly hit LaGuardia’s tower due to bad weather. FAA & NTSB are investigating the March 23 close call. Safety reviews are underway.

Authorities are currently examining an incident involving a Southwest Airlines aircraft that unexpectedly deviated from its intended path, coming alarmingly close to the control tower at LaGuardia Airport in a recent episode.

The Federal Aviation Administration disclosed on Thursday that adverse weather conditions led to the aircraft’s misalignment during its approach to the bustling airport in New York City.

The aircraft made an attempt to circle the airport, during which it descended to a mere 300 feet (about 90 meters) from the ground, Flightradar24.com data reveals. A concerned air traffic controller, employing a notably urgent tone, instructed the pilots to cancel their landing attempt and ascend to 2000 feet (approximately 600 meters), as recorded by LiveATC.net.

The controller indicated that the aircraft was not properly aligned with the runway, noting it was positioned east of its expected landing trajectory.

“The aircraft was definitely not going to make the runway,” the controller observed.

The flight, which took place on March 23, was rerouted to Baltimore, resulting in a safe landing there. After a short pause, the aircraft returned to New York, according to Southwest.

The FAA has initiated an investigation to ascertain whether the aircraft passed over the tower at LaGuardia. Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board has also taken an interest in the matter, though it has not scheduled any immediate briefings on its findings.

In the wake of criticism from a government review highlighting manufacturing quality concerns, Boeing has vowed to implement improvements. Southwest, headquartered in Dallas, explained that the detour to Baltimore was necessitated by the challenging conditions of turbulence and reduced visibility at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

“The airline is conducting a thorough review of the incident as part of our commitment to safety,” a spokesperson for Southwest stated.

Originating from Nashville, Tennessee, the flight was carrying a total of 150 passengers and crew members, as reported by the airline.

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