Southwest Airways has simply internally revealed particulars of an incident that occurred again in April 2024, which may solely be described as a really shut name.
Southwest 737 descends to 400 toes above ocean
This incident dates again to April 11, 2024, and includes Southwest Airways flight WN2786, scheduled to function from Honolulu (HNL) to Lihue (LIH). The quick 102-mile flight was operated by a roughly two-year-old Boeing 737 MAX 8 with the license plate N8788L.
Apparently this incident wasn’t investigated by authorities on the time. As a substitute, this security incident was reported internally, and Southwest’s Director of Flight Security Applications & Assurance just lately despatched a memo to all pilots about what occurred, which is why that is now getting some publicity.
With this incident, a really senior captain and a really junior first officer have been paired on a three-day journey to Hawaii. The flight from the mainland to Hawaii went properly, after which on the second day they have been presupposed to function some inter-island flights.
Earlier than the primary flight, the pilots noticed that the climate situations at Lihue Airport have been unhealthy (poor visibility, thunderstorms, sturdy winds, and many others.), and plenty of pilots of different plane have been performing missed approaches. Nonetheless, the captain elected to have the primary officer be the “pilot flying” on this sector, to construct their expertise.
The pilots have been ready for a possible go round, on condition that situations on the departure airport have been simply above the “minimums” wanted to land, in order that they have been absolutely briefed on the right procedures. Certain sufficient, when the plane approached runway 17, the pilots didn’t have the runway in sight, so the primary officer referred to as for a go round. Sadly this go round was something however routine.
Through the go round, the primary officer inadvertently pushed ahead on the management column. The primary officer additionally observed the crimson airspeed tape, and pulled again on the thrust levers. While you push ahead the management column and cut back thrust, there’s just one route the aircraft goes, and that’s down. The aircraft descended all the way in which right down to 400 toes(!!!!) above the Pacific Ocean.
Whereas the “DON’T SINK” and “PULL UP” warnings went off within the cockpit throughout this time, the primary officer states they didn’t hear this on account of intense job saturation.
Happily the captain observed what was happening at this level, and advised the primary officer to climb and switch left, inflicting the primary officer to aggressively enhance thrust. The plane climbed, maxing out at a climb charge of 8,500 toes per minute, which could be very excessive.
As soon as the state of affairs stabilized, the pilots first entered a holding sample, after which made the choice to return to Honolulu, the place the aircraft landed just below 85 minutes after it first departed.
As soon as again on the bottom in Honolulu, the captain consulted with the dispatcher, and made the choice to attempt flying to Lihue once more, with the captain being the “pilot flying” this time. Apparently, the primary officer didn’t communicate up in opposition to this on the time, however later stated that they want that they had shared their want to not attempt a second try.
The primary officer acknowledged that they didn’t communicate up to be able to keep the integrity of Southwest’s operation, and in addition as a result of regulatory necessities to function have been nonetheless being met. So the flight departed Honolulu once more, however climate situations deteriorated, so the plane in the end returned to Honolulu a second time.
@jonostrower printed the complete letter that Southwest shared internally with pilots concerning the incident, which is a few fascinating studying.
I’m curious what’s realized from this occasion
It goes with out saying that this occasion was terrifying, and a detailed name. The plane descended all the way in which right down to 400 toes with nearly no visibility, so the aircraft was actually seconds from being within the Pacific Ocean. Happily this had an excellent ending for all concerned.
There’s one thing to be realized from each aviation incident. Each pilots participated in a human components interview following the flight, and acknowledged that “seeing the severity of the occasion by way of the animations was a major, emotional occasion.” The pilots additionally participated in complete, corrective motion, together with Line Expertise.
It’s method past my space of experience to guage what occurred right here. It’s frequent for senior captains to be paired with junior officers (particularly given how airline hiring has developed lately), and it’s additionally vital for newer pilots to achieve expertise with troublesome conditions, below shut supervision.
What’s at the least reassuring right here is how transparently Southwest is speaking internally concerning this incident, and the truth that the pilots voluntarily reported what occurred. That’s in the end how aviation turns into safer.
Backside line
A Southwest Airways Boeing 737 had a detailed name in Hawaii again in April, whereas attempting to land in Lihue throughout a storm. A junior first officer was flying, and executed a go round. In some way the primary officer inadvertently pushed the management column down whereas additionally lowering thrust, inflicting the jet to descend to an altitude of simply 400 toes above sea stage.
As soon as the error was realized, the pilots went to the alternative excessive, and the jet climbed at a pace of as much as 8,500 toes per minute. Happily the pilots managed to divert the plane safely again to Honolulu, however my gosh, what an incident.
What do you make of this Southwest incident?
