Overview
- Six minutes after takeoff from Hollywood Burbank, the crew of Southwest Flight 1496 responded to two TCAS alerts by performing rapid climb-and-descent maneuvers.
- FlightRadar24 data shows the Boeing 737 plunged from 14,100 to 13,625 feet to evade a Hawker Hunter jet at approximately 14,653 feet.
- Two flight attendants were injured during the abrupt descent and treated upon arrival in Las Vegas, with no passenger injuries reported.
- The flight continued its route and landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport without further incident.
- This close call intensifies federal scrutiny after an FAA audit was launched on July 22 to examine Southwest’s safety procedures following multiple recent incidents.