Probe Launched After Boeing Plane’s Terrifying Flight Drop
The frightening decent to just 150 feet above the water occurred near Tampa’s airport where the plane was supposed to land.

Mike Blake/Reuters
A Columbus, Ohio to Tampa, Florida Southwest Airlines flight took a frightening drop and was only a mere 150 feet over the waters of Old Tampa Bay on July 14. This was 1,075 feet lower than the recommended 1,225-foot altitude. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 dropped near Courtney Campbell Causeway, a bridge that connects Tampa and Clearwater, Florida. According to the New York Post, the flight was originally meant to land in Tampa but was rerouted to Ft. Lauderdale’s airport 200 miles away. The Post reports that the Federal Aviation Administration is looking into the incident. Following the scary dip, Southwest issued a statement saying the FAA is trying “to understand and address any irregularities,” and added that “nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.” Coincidentally, this is just the latest in a string of Southwest flights reaching worryingly low altitudes while flying.
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