Southwest Flight 425

On July 14, a Southwest Airlines flight from Columbus, Ohio, to Tampa, Florida, descended dangerously low to just 150 feet above Tampa Bay before regaining altitude after a warning from air traffic control. This incident is one of three low-altitude occurrences involving Southwest in the past four months, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Experts attribute the close call to a combination of possible pilot fatigue, poor weather conditions, and human error, suggesting that the crew may have descended too early. Aviation specialists emphasized that such low descents should be avoided and indicated that cockpit alerts would have warned the pilots of their altitude. The airline has stated it is cooperating with the FAA and prioritizing passenger safety. The incident raises concerns about pilot attentiveness and operational procedures at Southwest Airlines.