Federal regulators are raising scrutiny of Southwest Airlines after a series of troubling incidents
Regulators launch safety audit into Southwest Airlines
The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it launching a safety audit at Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, which has seen its planes involved in a series of troubling incidents in recent weeks that included flying at very low altitudes while still miles away from an airport.
DALLAS - The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it launching a safety audit at Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, which has seen its planes involved in a series of troubling incidents in recent weeks that included flying at very low altitudes while still miles away from an airport.
"The FAA has increased oversight of Southwest Airlines to ensure it is complying with federal safety regulations," an agency spokesperson said in a statement. "Safety will drive the timeline."
The FAA declined to provide details but noted that it continually adjusts oversight of airlines based on risk.
Southwest said it is working closely with the FAA and also has formed a team of people from the airline, its union and the FAA to strengthen its safety-management system.
The FAA’s action is among several moves by new Administrator Mike Whitaker to respond to heightened safety concern about airlines ever since a panel covering an unused exit blew off a Boeing 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
The FAA is investigating Boeing's manufacturing processes. Earlier this year, the agency increased its scrutiny of United Airlines after a series of troubling events involving United planes.
Twice within recent weeks, Southwest jets have flown unusually low while still several miles away from airports where they intended to land in Oklahoma and Florida. Another Southwest jet took off from a closed runway in Maine last month.
Southwest plane flies just 525 feet over Oklahoma town, prompting altitude warning
A Southwest Boeing 737 heading for Oklahoma City this week flew just 525 feet above a neighborhood, prompting an investigation from the FAA.
In April, a Southwest jet descended rapidly off the coast of Hawaii and came within 400 feet of the surface of the Pacific Ocean before recovering.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a Southwest jet that did an unusual "Dutch roll" and was discovered to have damage to its tail after a flight from Phoenix to Oakland, California. Investigators say the plane had been parked outside during a severe storm.
None of the events resulted in injuries.
Ron McCallum, an aviation attorney and pilot, spoke with FOX 4 about what happens next.
"All things will be audited. They're going to put the meeting the FAA is going to put in the place, team from the flight standard district's office. And they're going to look into the flight crew, their logbooks, their flight time, their currency, their time and timeline in the 737. And they're going to study the radar track," he said. "It's real serious. People can lose their jobs, and Southwest can be fined substantially. In aviation, we talk about the culture of safety. And that's the reason why you have a chief pilot. That's the president of all air operations. And that person is responsible to make sure that all pilots and flight crews, including flight attendants, are safe and fit for duty."
The Dallas-based carrier says it's cooperating with federal investigators and pointed out that the airline formed a dedicated team of subject-matter experts, leaders, union partners, and the FAA to in an effort to boost its existing safety management system.
McCallum expects the audit to be complex within the next three months.