Burbank, California – A Southwest Airlines flight came dangerously close to catastrophe on Friday after the plane abruptly dropped hundreds of feet midair to avoid a potential collision with another aircraft. The harrowing event unfolded shortly after Flight 1496 departed Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon, bound for Las Vegas.
According to flight tracking data, the Boeing 737 plunged rapidly—dropping hundreds of feet in just over 30 seconds—after the crew received two cockpit alerts about another aircraft in the vicinity. Passengers onboard described the moment as terrifying, with many convinced they were about to crash.
Caitlin Burdi, one of the passengers, said the initial dip was followed by a steeper, more alarming descent. “We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash,” she told Fox News Digital. She added that the pilot later confirmed to passengers that the maneuver had been necessary to avoid another plane…