A Southwest Airlines flight bound for San Jose instead made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday after the crew received an engine-related warning mid-flight. Southwest Flight 3396 had taken off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County and was headed to San Jose Mineta International Airport when it diverted, touching down safely shortly before 12:30 p.m.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the flight declared a general emergency shortly after takeoff and stopped its climb around 20,000 feet, broadcasting the 7700 transponder code that signals a general emergency to air traffic control. The FAA said the aircraft landed safely at LAX around 12:25 p.m. local time after the crew reported an engine issue, while LAX confirmed that Flight 3396 arrived without incident on Runway 25L.
Southwest said in a statement that its pilots diverted safely to LAX after receiving an engine-related maintenance indication, and the airline credited its crew with handling the situation safely. The New York Post reported that the airline said the pilots followed established procedures and landed the aircraft uneventfully.
What Triggered the Warning Remains Unclear
What exactly prompted the engine-related alert has not been disclosed. Southwest did not immediately provide details about the warning, and according to Telemundo 52, no information about the notification was available right away either. The outlet also reported that the FAA said it would investigate what prompted the midair diversion…