Southwest Airlines narrowly avoids disaster near Hawaii
- Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 plane came within 400 feet of the ocean near Kauai, Hawaii.
- Former pilot describes the incident as a 'rollercoaster ride' due to bad weather forcing a drastic course change.
- The plane narrowly avoided crashing into the Pacific Ocean during an aborted landing attempt.
A Southwest Airlines flight experienced a harrowing incident near Hawaii when a Boeing 737 Max 8 plunged within 400 feet of the ocean due to stormy weather conditions. The flight, which departed from Honolulu to Kauai, faced challenges during landing as the pilots struggled to see the runway. The captain put a less-experienced first officer in charge, leading to a rapid descent and alarms indicating proximity to the surface. The captain instructed the first officer to increase engine power, resulting in a steep climb of 8,500 feet per minute. Despite the ordeal, there were no injuries, and the flight eventually landed safely after an extended duration. Southwest Airlines emphasized its commitment to safety and stated that the incident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.