FAA Launches Safety Audit Of Southwest Airlines Following String Of Near-Miss Incidents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a heightened safety review of Southwest Airlines following a series of near-miss incidents involving the carrier. This audit comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the U.S. aviation industry. In January, a door panel blew out mid-flight on a Boeing aircraft. The incident led to a criminal investigation of Boeing and leadership changes at the company. United Airlines also announced an independent safety review in March following its own near-miss incidents.

Southwest Airlines Most Recent Near-Miss Incidents

Several alarming incidents involving Southwest Airlines flights have occurred in recent months, including:

1. In April, a flight departing from Honolulu came within 400 feet of crashing into the ocean, apparently due to pilot error.
2. A “Dutch roll” incident on a flight from Phoenix to Oakland caused significant rocking motion in midair, damaging both a backup power unit and structural components.
3. A Southwest flight triggered a low-altitude alert over Oklahoma City.
4. Most recently, a flight from Columbus, Ohio to Tampa flew as low as 150 feet over Florida waters, necessitating an emergency landing in Fort Lauderdale.

FAA Audit And The Airlines’ Response

In response to these incidents, the FAA has initiated an audit of Southwest Airlines’ operations. The agency stated it is “increasing oversight of Southwest to ensure it complies with federal safety regulations.” The FAA stressed that “safety will drive the timeline” of the audit. This audit is part of the Certificate Holder Evaluation Process, a comprehensive review of an airline’s compliance with federal safety regulations.

While the FAA has not specified which incidents prompted this action, the pattern of near-misses has raised concerns within the agency. Southwest Airlines has confirmed that it will cooperate fully with the FAA during the review process. The company has also formed a new team of experts to bolster its safety management system. In a statement, Southwest emphasized, “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”

Southwest Airlines could face significant implications from this audit. Depending on the findings, the airline may face regulatory actions, be required to implement operational changes, or incur financial impacts.