A Southwest Airlines jet had a rather eventful flight today minutes after taking off from California, leading to injuries.
In this post:
Southwest jet gets TCAS alert, drops 475 feet
This incident happened today (Friday, July 25, 2025), and involves flight WN1496, operating from Burbank (BUR) to Las Vegas (LAS). The short 42-minute flight was flown by a 19-year-old Boeing 737-700 with the registration code N249WN.
The plane took off at 11:57AM local time, and roughly six minutes after takeoff, the pilots received a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alert, indicating that there’s other traffic in the area. For those not familiar with TCAS, this is an alarm that goes off in the flight deck, and then it gives pilots instructions about what maneuvers to perform, based on traffic becoming dangerously close.
The TCAS gave the pilots two sets of instructions (to descend and to climb). Based on flight tracking software, it appears that the plane initially dropped 475 feet, from around 14,100 feet, to around 13,625 feet.
It would appear that the other aircraft involved in this incident was a 66-year-old Hawker Hunter with the registration code N335AX, flying from El Paso (ELP) to Point Mugu (NTD), which was traveling in the opposite direction. The planes were roughly at the same altitude but weren’t on the same course, so they wouldn’t have collided if they just maintained course, but they were definitely too close for comfort.
It’s not yet clear if air traffic control made a mistake with how these planes were cleared, if one of the aircraft wasn’t following instructions, or what.
This all happened right as the flight attendants were about to begin their beverage service, so while no passengers were injured, two flight attendants reportedly sustained injuries. Hopefully they make a quick recovery.
Southwest has released the following statement about the incident:
The crew of Southwest Flight 1496 responded to two onboard traffic alerts Friday afternoon while climbing out of Burbank, requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts. The flight continued to Las Vegas, where it landed uneventfully.
Southwest is engaged with the Federal Aviation Administration to further understand the circumstances. No injuries were immediately reported by Customers, but two Flight Attendants are being treated for injuries. We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and Flight Attendants in responding to this event. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.
Meanwhile the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released the following statement:
We are aware of an incident involving Southwest Airlines Flight 1496. The FAA is in contact with Southwest Airlines and we are investigating. Ensuring the safety of everyone in the national airspace system remains our top priority.
What passengers have to say about the inflight scare
This incident first got a lot of attention based on online reports from passengers, as is often the case with issues like this. Here’s how one Reddit user described the ordeal:
My connecting flight from Burbank to Las Vegas today almost collided with another plane midair due to the fault of the traffic controllers. Our pilot had to make the most insane dive ever to avoid the other aircraft. So many of us flew out of our seats for about 20 seconds, even with seatbelts on, and one of the flight attendants got hurt and needed medical attention after we landed.
Meanwhile below is another report from a passenger, who described the need to “dive aggressively,” and claimed “plenty of people flew out of their seats & bumped heads on ceiling.”
I’ve gotta say, the perception of how big the fall was is quite interesting. That’s not surprising, since people really don’t have a sense of that when onboard an aircraft. One passenger claimed the plane dove thousands of feet…
…while another passenger claimed the plane dropped 20 to 30 feet:
About 10 minutes into the flight, we plummeted pretty far, and I looked around, and everyone was like, “OK, that’s normal.” Then, within two seconds, it felt like the ride Tower of Terror, where we fell 20 to 30 feet in the air. The screaming, it was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash.
In all honesty, this does sound like a scary incident, and I’m sure it was very unpleasant for all onboard.
Bottom line
A Southwest Boeing 737 flying from Burbank to Las Vegas had more excitement than passengers bargained for, as the aircraft got too close for comfort to another jet. The pilots ended up obeying the TCAS alert, which caused both a steep descent and steep climb. The plane dropped nearly 500 feet, leading to two flight attendant injuries.
What do you make of this Southwest 737 incident?
@Ross
So, the pilot of the Hawker, Alan Pollock (1936-2025) "flew through the span of the Tower Bridge on the River Thames in 1968." Looks like that disproves the old adage that there are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots! RIP
"The planes were roughly at the same altitude but weren’t on the same course, so they wouldn’t have collided if they just maintained course,"
In terms of a car accident, where two vehicles are at the same altitude (ground level), isn't this like saying that if I am northbound with a green light at an intersection and a westbound car runs a red light, I don't have to worry about a collision because we aren't going the same direction?
@ Ross -- Not quite. I'm simply making the point that based on the speed and direction of travel, the planes would not have actually collided. Of course it's important to have separation, and TCAS is a vital safety tool. But my point is simply that based on flight tracking, this would not have actually been a "hit" if the TCAS hadn't activated, for whatever reason.
Another reason to stay clear of U.S. airspace.
Im curious why there is zero focus on the Hawker Hunter which is a pretty cool fighter jet from the beginning of the jet-age. Why was it there? How cool would it be to do a 500 feet dive in that one? Am I the only one that just assumes this is some kind of flight experience thing and it divested with 100 certainty from its flightpath?
This was also my thought. Why was it there? VFR flight in controlled air space?
The Hawkers are owned by ATAC and regularly fly around the US as adversary aircraft for the US military.
One crashed departing HNL in 2018.
ATAC has a colorful history to say the least.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_Tactical_Advantage_Company (scroll to Accidents and incidents)
Last week a B52, January AA 5342. Wonder how many near misses with military or military contractors there have been recently.
Another big air disaster is waiting. Just a matter of time.
So the flight attendants were starting to hawk beverages about what 7 or 8mins after take-off?!
6Mins after Take-off all passengers should still be in their safety belts and no one ought to have been thrown up or down. Seriously humans.
That said; these incidents are alarming.
This only happens in the US. Pretty much everywhere else in the world the fasten belts sign is switched off when crossing 10.000 ft. Here in Brazil, GOL does it even earlier, usually 2-3 min after takeoff.
Ugh, passenger comments about inflight incidents are always the worst. I expect the Daily Mail will regurgitate these social media posts in a report headed "TERRIFYING DEATH PLUNGE!", or something equally as ridiculous.
Other big news was a bev service on a 40 minute flight
Bunch of drama queens looking for attention on social media
Even if the fasten seatbelt light is not illuminated, we recommend you keep your seatbelt fastened at all times.
@Ross
The Hawker Hunter is a fighter jet from the 1950's. The Royal Jordanian Air Force had them but in 1967, Israel bombed and destroyed all of them in one day.
Those familiar with TCAS and its operation understand that RAs need only 0.25 G’s to comply and only 0.35 G’s for a reverse RA. It’s very easy to overdo it.
Humans right?
Uh, what?
Humans over do it.
Only computers can precisely pull a 0.25 G
Of course I had to Google "Hawker Hunter," because how many 66-year-old jets are there anyway, and that led to this interesting 57-year-old story about one of its pilots who died just this year.
"The Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident occurred on 5 April 1968, when Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock (1936-2025), a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hunter pilot, performed unauthorised low flying over several London landmarks and then flew through the span of...
Of course I had to Google "Hawker Hunter," because how many 66-year-old jets are there anyway, and that led to this interesting 57-year-old story about one of its pilots who died just this year.
"The Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident occurred on 5 April 1968, when Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock (1936-2025), a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hunter pilot, performed unauthorised low flying over several London landmarks and then flew through the span of Tower Bridge on the River Thames. His actions were to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the RAF and as a demonstration against the Ministry of Defence for not recognising it. Upon landing Pollock was arrested and later invalided out of the RAF on medical grounds, which avoided a court martial."
Mental health grounds, I'll wager.