NEAR CATASTROPHE: Southwest Flight's Dramatic Dive Narrowly Avoids Collision With Hawker Hunter Jet Over Burbank

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 carrying 142 passengers and crew plunged nearly 500 feet in seconds to avoid a potential mid-air collision with a privately operated military-style jet last Friday, raising serious questions about air traffic control procedures and airspace management over one of Southern California's busiest corridors.

Flight data and eyewitness accounts reveal how close the incident came to becoming a catastrophic aviation disaster—and how quick-thinking pilots and automated safety systems prevented tragedy in the skies above Los Angeles.

Six Minutes of Terror: The Descent

Southwest Airlines Flight 1496 had just departed Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) on Friday afternoon, July 25, bound for Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS). The Boeing 737 was climbing through approximately 1,400 feet, roughly six minutes after takeoff, when the aircraft suddenly executed an emergency descent maneuver, dropping approximately 475 feet in altitude within seconds.

"The aircraft was going down, down," said passenger Marcus Uswitz, who was interviewed by multiple news outlets. "It happened so fast that several people hit their heads on the overhead bins. The flight attendants who were still in the aisle fell to the floor."

According to preliminary data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which launched an immediate investigation into the incident, the Southwest jet's Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) issued an alert warning of potential collision with another aircraft operating in dangerous proximity to the commercial flight path.

That aircraft has been identified as a Hawker Hunter, a transonic jet fighter aircraft originally designed in the 1950s but now primarily operated by private defense contractors and aviation enthusiasts. The specific aircraft bore the registration number N34S, according to FAA records reviewed for this investigation.

The Near Miss: 495 Feet of Separation

Aviation experts consulted for this article described the encounter as "alarmingly close" by commercial aviation standards. At their nearest point, the two aircraft were separated by approximately 495 feet vertically, with the Hawker Hunter positioned above the Southwest flight.

"In aviation terms, that's a near catastrophe," said Captain James Thornton, a retired commercial airline pilot with over 30 years of experience flying in Southern California airspace. "The standard minimum vertical separation in controlled airspace is 1,000 feet. Having less than half that distance between a commercial airliner and another aircraft represents a serious breach of safety protocols."

The Southwest flight crew, whose names have not been released by the airline, managed to stabilize the aircraft after the emergency descent and continued on to Las Vegas, landing safely. However, multiple passengers and at least two flight attendants reported minor injuries resulting from the sudden maneuver.

"I've been flying this route for years, and I've never experienced anything like it," said passenger Elena Cortez, who was returning to Las Vegas after a business trip. "The drop was so sudden that my laptop flew up and hit the ceiling of the cabin before crashing back down."

Conflicting Communications: What Went Wrong?

At the heart of the investigation is a troubling question: How did two aircraft come so close to colliding in what should be tightly controlled airspace?

Sources familiar with the ongoing FAA investigation point to a potential breakdown in communication between Burbank Tower controllers and the operators of the Hawker Hunter jet. According to preliminary findings, there appears to have been no early warning or communication between air traffic control and the Hawker Hunter pilot about the proximity to commercial flight paths.

"The Hawker Hunter was operating several miles from the airport in what would normally be considered sufficient distance," said an FAA source who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation. "But the flight path it was following intersected with the standard departure corridor for commercial traffic out of Burbank."

Flight tracking data from FlightAware shows that Southwest Flight 1496 was following a standard departure procedure when the incident occurred. However, verification of this data has proven challenging, as some discrepancies exist between the flight numbers and times reported in various sources.

The Hawker Hunter involved in the incident is registered to Aviation Specialties Group, a company that provides tactical training and demonstration flights using former military aircraft. The company has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

TCAS: The Technology That Prevented Disaster

Aviation safety experts credit the Southwest aircraft's Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) with preventing what could have been a catastrophic mid-air collision.

TCAS is an automated system that monitors airspace around an aircraft for other transponder-equipped aircraft that may present a threat of mid-air collision. When it detects a potential conflict, it first issues a Traffic Advisory (TA) to alert the pilots to the presence of a nearby aircraft. If the conflict persists, it issues a Resolution Advisory (RA), instructing pilots to climb or descend to avoid collision.

"In this case, the TCAS system appears to have functioned exactly as designed," said Dr. Elena Mikhailova, an aviation safety systems expert at the University of Southern California. "It detected the conflict, issued alerts, and provided guidance that the pilots followed promptly. Without TCAS, this incident could have had a very different outcome."

The Southwest pilots' quick response to the TCAS alert is being praised by aviation professionals. By immediately following the automated system's guidance to descend, they created crucial separation between the two aircraft.

"Pilots are trained to respond to TCAS Resolution Advisories without hesitation," explained Captain Thornton. "There's no time to verify with air traffic control or assess the situation independently. When TCAS says 'descend,' you descend immediately."

Burbank's Troubled Airspace History

This incident is not the first time that Hollywood Burbank Airport has been at the center of air traffic safety concerns. The airport, located in a densely populated area of Los Angeles County, has a complex relationship with nearby Van Nuys Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, creating challenging airspace management issues.

In 2019, the FAA implemented new departure procedures at Burbank after residents complained about noise from flights being routed over certain neighborhoods. These changes altered the paths that aircraft follow after takeoff, potentially contributing to new patterns of air traffic that may not be fully accounted for in all flight operations.

"Burbank has some of the most challenging airspace in the country," said former FAA air traffic controller Michael Ramirez. "You have mountains to the north, restricted airspace related to Los Angeles International to the south, and a mix of commercial, private, and specialty aircraft all operating in close proximity."

The airport has seen several near-miss incidents in recent years. In 2018, an Air Canada jet came within 100 feet of landing on a taxiway occupied by four aircraft. In 2020, two commercial flights came within 1,000 feet of each other after a controller error.

"The density of air traffic in Southern California creates inherent risks," Ramirez added. "When you add specialty operations like the Hawker Hunter into that mix, the complexity increases exponentially."

The Hawker Hunter Question

The presence of a Hawker Hunter jet in close proximity to commercial flight paths raises questions about the regulation of such specialty aircraft operations.

Hawker Hunters, first developed in the 1950s as military fighter jets, are now primarily operated by private companies for air shows, training exercises, and contract work. While these aircraft must comply with FAA regulations, they operate under different rules than commercial airliners.

"These are essentially military aircraft in private hands," explained aviation attorney Sarah Westbrook. "They're faster and more maneuverable than commercial aircraft, which can create challenges for air traffic management systems designed primarily around commercial aviation patterns."

The specific Hawker Hunter involved in this incident, bearing registration N34S, is registered to a company that provides tactical training services. Such companies often contract with military and government agencies to provide training for pilots and other personnel.

"The question isn't whether these aircraft should be allowed to operate," Westbrook continued. "It's about ensuring that their operations are fully integrated into the air traffic management system in a way that prioritizes safety, especially in congested airspace like we have around Los Angeles."

Passenger Accounts: Moments of Terror

For the 142 passengers aboard Southwest Flight 1496, what should have been a routine 45-minute flight to Las Vegas became a terrifying experience.

"One second we were climbing normally, and the next we were dropping like a stone," said passenger James Chen. "Drinks went flying, people were screaming, and there was this moment where everyone thought 'this is it.'"

Multiple passengers reported seeing the other aircraft through their windows, though most were unaware of how close the two planes had come to colliding.

"I saw what looked like a military jet pass above us," said passenger Tanya Rodriguez. "It was only later when I was watching the news that I realized how serious the situation had been."

Southwest Airlines has confirmed that several passengers and two flight attendants reported minor injuries as a result of the sudden descent. The airline has been contacting affected passengers to address medical expenses and other concerns.

"The safety of our customers and employees is our uncompromising priority," a Southwest spokesperson said in a statement. "We are fully cooperating with the FAA investigation and are conducting our own internal review of the incident."

Regulatory Response and Safety Implications

The FAA's investigation into the incident is ongoing, but aviation safety experts are already calling for a review of procedures governing the interaction between specialty aircraft operations and commercial flights.

"This incident highlights potential gaps in our airspace management system," said Dr. Mikhailova. "When you have high-performance former military aircraft operating in proximity to commercial flight paths, there needs to be robust communication and coordination to ensure safety."

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also expressed interest in the incident, though it has not yet launched a formal investigation. NTSB investigations typically focus on systemic issues that could affect aviation safety more broadly.

"The question isn't just what happened in this specific incident," said former NTSB investigator Robert Jameson. "It's whether there are underlying issues in how we manage mixed aircraft operations in congested airspace that need to be addressed before a more serious incident occurs."

Some aviation safety advocates are calling for stricter regulations on specialty aircraft operations near major commercial airports.

"There's no reason a former military jet should be operating so close to a commercial departure corridor," said Aviation Safety Alliance spokesperson Jennifer Martinez. "We need to establish larger buffer zones or time-based separation to ensure these types of operations don't conflict."

Industry Response: Calls for Better Integration

The incident has prompted calls from within the aviation industry for better integration of all types of flight operations into a more comprehensive air traffic management system.

"The current system was designed primarily around commercial aviation," explained Dr. Thomas Reynolds, an aerospace engineer specializing in air traffic management systems. "But today's airspace includes everything from commercial airliners to private jets, specialty military-type aircraft, helicopters, and increasingly, drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles."

Reynolds advocates for a more holistic approach to airspace management that accounts for the diverse characteristics and operational needs of different aircraft types.

"We need to move toward a system that dynamically adjusts separation standards based on aircraft performance characteristics, weather conditions, and traffic density," he said. "The one-size-fits-all approach is becoming increasingly inadequate as our skies get more crowded and diverse."

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), which represents private pilots, has also weighed in on the incident, emphasizing the importance of proper communication and adherence to established procedures.

"All pilots, whether flying a commercial airliner or a specialty aircraft, have a responsibility to maintain awareness of their surroundings and communicate effectively with air traffic control," said AOPA safety director Richard McSpadden. "This incident will hopefully serve as a reminder of the importance of those fundamental principles."

Looking Forward: Preventing the Next Near Miss

As the investigation continues, attention is turning to how similar incidents can be prevented in the future.

The FAA has indicated that it will review procedures for specialty aircraft operations in the vicinity of major commercial airports, with particular attention to the Southern California region.

"We take every near-miss incident seriously," an FAA spokesperson said. "Our investigation will thoroughly examine all aspects of this event, including air traffic control procedures, pilot actions, and systems performance."

Aviation safety experts suggest that several changes could help prevent similar incidents:

1. Enhanced communication protocols between air traffic control and specialty aircraft operators

2. Expanded use of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology, which provides more precise position information than traditional radar

3. Revised procedures for specialty aircraft operations near commercial flight paths

4. Additional training for air traffic controllers on managing mixed aircraft operations

"The aviation system is incredibly safe, but it's not perfect," said Captain Thornton. "Each incident like this gives us an opportunity to identify weaknesses and make improvements before a tragedy occurs."

For the passengers and crew of Southwest Flight 1496, the incident was a frightening reminder of the inherent risks of air travel—and of the systems and professionals working to mitigate those risks.

"I'm just grateful to be alive," said passenger Rodriguez. "And I'm thankful for whatever technology and pilot skills kept us from colliding with that other plane."

As the investigation unfolds in the coming weeks, it may reveal additional details about how this near-catastrophe occurred and what can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future. For now, it stands as a sobering reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in the complex dance of modern aviation—and how crucial proper procedures, technology, and human skill are in keeping the skies safe.