"Southwest Airlines"

Last weekend, Southwest Airlines flight WN353 between Los Angeles and Reno diverted to Fresno due to an engine issue.

Information has been released pertinent to this incident, which we will detail in this article.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Fresno Diversion!: Southwest Airlines WN353 Los Angeles-Reno…

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Southwest Airlines flight WN353, which diverted to Fresno, is a routine scheduled flight between Los Angeles & Reno.

Furthermore, it is understood the aircraft involved in the incident was N8646B.

As per data from Planespotters.net, N8646B is a 10.0 year old Boeing 737-800 that was delivered to the airline in August 2014.

Of the 737-800 variant, Southwest Airlines has 205 of them in their fleet.

Furthermore, of that 205, all but six are in active service, with an average fleet age of 9.0 years.

As well as the 737-800, WN has the following other aircraft in their fleet:

• 375 Boeing 737-700s.
• 236 Boeing 737 MAX 8s.

Southwest Airlines flight WN353, which diverted to Fresno, departed Los Angeles at 1123 local time on July 27 and tracked north to Reno.

Near Bakersfield, the decision was made to divert and descend into Fresno.

The aircraft landed safely without further incident at 1240 local time.

As per The Aviation Herald, the engine issue at hand was performance-related.

So as a precaution, the crew opted to divert instead of continuing on to it’s destination as planned.

Aircraft Was Pulled out of Commercial Service for Two Days…

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Data from RadarBox highlights that N8646B, the Southwest Airlines 737-800 involved in the incident on WN353 Los Angeles-Reno was grounded in Fresno for two days following the engine issue.

On July 29, the aircraft departed from Fresno to Las Vegas as WN8505.

It then night-stopped in Las Vegas before operating a flight to Dallas Love on July 30.

Overall, the aircraft is back in commercial service and is operating normally.

The aircraft is scheduled in for around 10-15 flights over the next few days, which highlights confidence in the maintenance applied to the aircraft.

As soon as we have more information pertinent to this incident, then we will update you accordingly.

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News has emerged of a Southwest Airlines flight that was 150 feet from the ground in Tampa when on approach into the airport.

Information has been released pertinent to this incident, which we will get into in this article.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

150 Feet from Crashing in Tampa!: Southwest Airlines Flight WN425 from Columbus…

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Southwest Airlines flight WN425, which came within 150 feet of crashing in Tampa, was a routine scheduled flight between Columbus & Tampa.

It is understood the aircraft involved in the incident was N8841L.

As per data from Planespotters.net, N8841L is a 1.5 year old Boeing 737 MAX 8 that was delivered to the airline in February 2023.

Of the 737 MAX 8 variant, Southwest Airlines has 236 of them in their fleet.

Furthermore, of that 236, all but one are in active service, with an average age of 2.8 years.

The only grounded aircraft is the 737 MAX involved in the Dutch Roll incident last month.

As well as the 737 MAX 8, Southwest Airlines has the following other aircraft in their fleet:

• 376 Boeing 737-700s.
• 206 737-800s.

Southwest Airlines flight WN425 departed Columbus, Ohio at 1604 local time on July 14 and tracked south towards Tampa.

Southwest Airlines 737 MAX descends dangerously low over the waters of Tampa Bay after descending to 150 feet 4 miles from landing at Tampa Airport. pic.twitter.com/qKifoP0gET

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 20, 2024

As has been noted, when the aircraft was on approach into Tampa, it descended as low as 150 feet with four miles left to go in the approach.

As per The Aviation Herald, air traffic control at the airport issued a low altitude alert to the aircraft.

After levelling off, they were eventually told to perform a go-around. This was 50 seconds after the low altitude alert.

Following that, the aircraft deviated away from Tampa, and proceeded to divert to Fort Lauderdale.

Southwest Airlines flight WN425 from Columbus to Tampa landed safely into Fort Lauderdale at 1945 local time without further incident.

Second Such Incident in a Month…

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The incident on Southwest Airlines flight WN425 Columbus-Tampa is the second such incident involving the airline in a month.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it was investigating an incident which saw a Southwest Airlines aircraft to send to unusually low level in the Oklahoma City area on 19 June.

Southwest Airlines flight WN4069, a Boeing 737-800 inbound from Las Vegas was approximately 9 miles from Will Rogers World Airport when the alert sounded.

According to flight data the aircraft descended following a clearance to make a visual approach to the airport.

The approaching aircraft apparently descended to approximately 500 feet as it overflew Yukon high school in a built-up area.

Overall…

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Overall, many are suggesting that a pattern is beginning to emerge at Southwest Airlines following the second incident involving WN425 Columbus-Tampa, and coming within 150 feet of crashing.

Furthermore, it is unclear whether the FAA will apply any scrutiny to the airline because of this.

The FAA has done this this year already, with United Airlines, following a string of incidents in a two-week period.

That being said, with the second incident at hand, the weather in Tampa was nowhere near perfect conditions.

There was recorded thunderstorms and rain in the area, with the winds gusting around the airport.

As soon as we have more information pertinent to additional developments, we will update you accordingly.

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The NTSB has now released its Preliminary Report into an inflight ‘Dutch roll’ incident involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating flight WN746 from Phoenix, AZ to Oakland, CA 0n 25 May 2024.

Whilst en route at FL340 (34,000 feet), the aircraft experienced a ‘Dutch Roll’ instability event. The crew regained control and descended to FL320, before continuing to the destination.

Southwest Airlines WN746 Phoenix-Oakland

On May 25th, 2024, a Southwest Airlines flight WN746, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Phoenix to Oakland, encountered a period of instability while cruising at FL340.

The incident involved a phenomenon known as Dutch roll. This is characterized by an unstable motion affecting both the aircraft’s direction (yaw) and bank (roll).

The flight crew regained control, descended to FL320 and continued to the destination airport. They landed safely with no injuries to the 175 passengers and 6 crew members on board.

Understanding Dutch Roll

Dutch roll is a coupled oscillation in both the yaw and roll axes of movement. This can occur when the airplane’s directional stability, typically maintained by the vertical stabilizer and rudder, is weakened.

While not inherently dangerous, Dutch roll can be uncomfortable for passengers and must be corrected by the pilot or the airplane’s automated systems.

Event Timeline

The NTSB’s preliminary report outlines the sequence of events:

• Pre-flight: During a pre-flight check, the captain noticed a previous log entry regarding a yaw damper issue where the system was overcorrecting. Records indicated corrective action had been taken before this flight.
• Taxi and Takeoff: While taxiing and during takeoff, the captain experienced temporary stiffness in the rudder pedals.
• Cruise: After reaching cruising altitude, the aircraft encountered light turbulence followed by a short period of Dutch roll. The autopilot remained engaged throughout, and both pilots described the movement as minimal. The yaw damper light, which would indicate a system malfunction, did not illuminate.

Flight Crew Response and Actions

Following the Dutch roll event, the crew discussed the situation and determined the turbulence wasn’t the cause.

Since the yaw damper is designed to counteract such disturbances and prevent rudder movement, they suspected an issue with the system itself.

They descended to 32,000 feet to assess the situation further. Here, they experienced similar brief periods of Dutch roll, with the captain again feeling faint rudder pedal movement.

The crew contacted Air Traffic Control and continued to Oakland for a safe landing. Upon arrival, the aircraft was met by maintenance personnel and removed from service for inspection.

The inspection revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, a critical component for maintaining directional stability.

This discovery prompted the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to launch a full investigation into the incident.

Flight Data Analysis

The NTSB report includes insights gleaned from analyzing flight data. Notably, the data revealed that the anomalous behavior of the rudder system began on the first flight after scheduled maintenance performed on May 23rd.

Before this maintenance, yaw damper commands didn’t affect rudder pedals. However, after the maintenance, rudder pedal movements were observed when the yaw damper was engaged.

Interestingly, all occurrences of Dutch roll coincided with yaw damper engagement. When the yaw damper was disabled during the flight or when the airplane was dispatched with the yaw damper listed as inoperative (Minimum Equipment List – MEL), the anomalous behavior was not observed.

NTSB Focus: Determining the Cause of Damage

A key focus of the NTSB investigation is determining when the structural damage to the rudder system occurred.

Did the damage exist prior to the May 23rd maintenance and contribute to the yaw damper issue? Or did the maintenance activity itself cause the damage?

The investigation will also delve deeper into the cause of the yaw damper malfunction and its potential role in the Dutch roll event.

Understanding these factors will be crucial in preventing similar incidents in the future and ensuring the continued safety of passengers and crew.

This ongoing investigation highlights the importance of thorough maintenance procedures and robust safety protocols in aviation.

The Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 incident serves as a reminder that even minor technical issues can potentially lead to flight instability.

The NTSB’s findings will be instrumental in ensuring that all parties involved, from airlines and maintenance crews to aircraft manufacturers, take the necessary steps to prevent such occurrences.

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A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 operating the flight from Chicago Midway to Montego Bay, Jamaica made a precautionary return following an engine problem on 25 June 2024.

Southwest Airlines flight WN1042 had departed Chicago Midway International airport (MDW) when it experienced an engine problem shortly after takeoff.

Southwest Airlines WN1042 Chicago Midway-Montego Bay

According to the online source the Aviation Herald, the flight crew had noted an engine over temperature indication on one engine.

As a result, flight crew terminated the climb procedure at 4000 feet and remains in the vicinity of the airport in order to conduct troubleshooting.

The crew subsequently made the decision to divert to Chicago O’Hare International Airport for a precautionary landing.

The aircraft then landed at Chicago O’Hare just over 30 minutes after the departure from Chicago Midway.

The landing was uneventful and was conducted under normal operating procedures. A formal emergency was not declared by the flight crew in this instance.

A replacement aircraft was mustered to complete the onwards service to Montego Bay, Jamaica. The nature and extent of the engine problem has not been confirmed.

Flight Details

Flight data shows that flight WN1042 made its departure out of Chicago Midway (MDW) at 1009 local time.

The climb was then terminated 4000 feet just after initial departure. Flight crew then maintained the aircraft in a series of holding manoeuvres close to the airport in order to troubleshoot the problem.

A diversion and return to Chicago O’Hare International Airport was then negotiated.

The aircraft conducting the WN1042 rotation to Montego Bay Sangster International airport (MBJ) was a Boeing 737-800, registered N8623F.

This is a 10.6 year old CFM engine equipped narrowbody aircraft belonging to the US carrier Southwest Airlines.

It has been in operational service with the airline since its initial delivery from the factory in December 2013.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating an incident which saw a Southwest Airlines aircraft to send to unusually low level in the Oklahoma City area on 19 June.

A Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Oklahoma City made an unusual descent which was low enough to trigger an ATC automated low altitude warning.

Southwest WN4069 Las Vegas-Oklahoma City

Southwest Airlines flight WN4069, a Boeing 737-800 inbound from Las Vegas was approximately 9 miles from Will Rogers World Airport when the alert sounded.

According to flight data the aircraft descended following a clearance to make a visual approach to the airport.

The approaching aircraft apparently descended to approximately 500 feet as it overflew Yukon high school in a built-up area.

The flight then regained altitude and circled before making its final approach and landing to another runway. The unusually low altitude raised the concerns of local residents and school officials.

ATC Low Altitude Warning

The aircraft was low enough to trigger the air traffic control (ATC) warning, and the FAA is now investigating the circumstances and cause of the low approach.

Southwest Airlines has released a statement indicating they are following their established safety protocols to determine what transpired. There were no reported injuries on board the aircraft, and no reported anomalies with the aircraft.

The aircraft conducting the WN4069 domestic service from Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport was a Boeing 737-800, registered N8555Z. This is a 6.60 narrowbody aircraft belonging to the carrier Southwest Airlines.

It has been an operational service with the airline since its initial delivery in December 2017.

Passengers on the flight have not yet publicly commented on the incident. Yukon High School officials are reported to be cooperating with the FAA’s investigation.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX suffered a Dutch Roll at 32,000 feet.

Information has been released pertinent to the incident, which we will get into in this piece.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Southwest Airlines Flight WN746 – Phoenix to Oakland…

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Southwest Airlines flight WN746, which suffered the Dutch Roll, is a routine scheduled flight between Phoenix and Oakland.

The aircraft affected by this accident was N8825Q.

As per data from Planespotters.net, N8825Q is a 1.6 year old Boeing 737 MAX 8 that was delivered to the airline in December 2022.

Of the 737 MAX 8 variant, Southwest Airlines has 230 of them in the fleet.

Furthermore, of that 230, all but two are in active service, with an average fleet age of 2.7 years.

The airline has an all-Boeing fleet, which in total amounts to 815 aircraft:

• 379 737-700s.
• 206 737-800s.
• 230 737 MAX 8s.

Furthermore, the overall average age across all 815 aircraft sit at 11.7 years.

Southwest Airlines flight WN746 departed Phoenix at 0713 local time on May 25.

As per The Aviation Herald, it is understood the Dutch Roll took place when the aircraft was at 32,000 feet.

Furthermore, following this accident mid-air, the aircraft was able to regain control and continue on to Oakland.

Data from RadarBox states that the aircraft landed safely into it’s destination at 0904 local time.

Aircraft Sent to Boeing Factory in Everett…

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Following the incident, the aircraft was grounded until June 6, just last week.

Rather than re-entering commercial service, the Southwest Airlines 737 MAX headed to the Boeing facility in Everett from Oakland.

Furthermore, the aircraft has been on the ground at Everett since the late evening of June 6.

No additional flights for the aircraft have been logged following that positioning flight.

AviationSource has approached Boeing for a comment regarding the accident and also why the airframe is sat in Everett.

What is a Dutch Roll?

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A Dutch Roll is an aircraft motion which is attributed to an out-of-phase combination of tail-wagging on the Yaw as well as rocking from side to side on the Roll.

Within aircraft engineering, the Dutch Roll results from relatively weaker positive directional stability.

This is compared to the usual requirement of needing positive lateral stability.

When the Southwest Airlines 737 MAX rolled around the longitudinal axis, a sideslip is introduced into the relative wind direction of the rolling motion.

This is what can make the aircraft difficult to control, but pilots are trained for effects that occur like this.

In the case of WN746, this was caused due to a damaged Power Control Unit (PCU), which weakened the directional stability of the aircraft.

The PCU controls the vertical rudder of the aircraft, which would ultimately explain why the Dutch Roll happened in the first time.

Overall…

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In conclusion, all eyes will be on what comes next following this accident involving the Southwest Airlines 737 MAX.

The issue must be of significant concern if the aircraft has been sent to the Everett factory.

Furthermore, it will also be interesting to see whether Boeing will provide a statement on this accident.

The 737 MAX has been under intense scrutiny over the last six months following the door blowout of Alaska Airlines flight AS1282.

As soon as more information is released pertaining to this accident, then we will update you accordingly.

For now, this remains a developing story pending additional updates which will be at the bottom of this article.

Update #1

Boeing has declined to comment, referring us on to Southwest Airlines. We have also approached the airline for comment now.

Update #2

Southwest Airlines has also responded to AviationSource with what is mostly a no comment other than the fact that they are “in contact with Boeing and the FAA”.

Update #3

The Aviation Herald has provided an update regarding this accident. They said that two ribs which mount the PCU on the Southwest Airlines 737 MAX were damaged as well as the mounts of the stand of the actuator.

It is understood a temporary fix was made to allow the aircraft to be ferried over to the Boeing factory in Everett to be fixed properly.

Update #4

In the last few hours, NPR has released an article stating that the Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating this incident.

They said that they are working closely with the NTSB and Boeing to ascertain what went wrong.

“We will take appropriate action based on the findings”, they said to the media outlet.

Update #5

The NTSB has released a statement following the incident involving the Southwest Airlines 737 MAX Dutch Roll event:

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