After a string of concerning safety incidents in recent months, the Federal Aviation Administration is reportedly conducting an audit of Southwest Airlines’ operations, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Southwest told the outlet it has been working closely with the air safety agency to review the recent mishaps, and the FAA told Scripps News it has increased oversight of the airline to ensure it is complying with federal safety regulations.
Just last week, a Southwest flight from Ohio to Florida flew as low as 150 feet over Tampa Bay while it was still miles away from Tampa International Airport. The crew then diverted the flight to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
A Southwest plane flew within hundreds of feet of a town in Oklahoma before landing several miles away at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City on June 19.
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In April, a Southwest flight hopping between the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Kauai began to dive toward the ocean at a rate of more than 4,000 feet per minute while only 600 feet above sea level, according to multiple outlets.
The month before, one of the airline’s jets went off course during a landing attempt at New York's LaGuardia Airport in inclement weather and got concerningly close to the airport’s air traffic control tower.
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There have also been a few incidents of Southwest-operated planes having mechanical issues in recent months, including one in April when a Boeing 737 lost its engine cover just after taking off from Denver International Airport.
The audit into the airline’s safety procedures could take several months, reported The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed government official.
