Panic erupted aboard Southwest Flight 1496 when the aircraft took a terrifying nosedive just minutes after takeoff from Burbank, California, en route to Las Vegas.
Passengers described being thrown from their seats as the plane dropped 20 to 30 feet to avoid a potential mid-air collision.
Screams filled the cabin as children and adults feared they were crashing.
Two flight attendants were injured, one reportedly dazed from hitting her head.
The pilot later told passengers the plane had nearly collided with another aircraft and had lost communication with air traffic control.
Southwest confirmed the maneuver was in response to onboard collision alerts, and the FAA is now investigating.
Despite the chaos, the plane landed safely in Las Vegas.
The incident sparked outrage and fear online, with some passengers demanding answers.
A flight attendant reportedly quit on the spot.
The terrifying nosedive has raised new concerns about mid-air traffic control safety.
#Southwest #PlaneDrop #AviationScare #FAA #NearCollision #Flight1496 #MidAirIncident #EmergencyDescent #PassengerTerror #AirSafety #FlightChaos #AirTrafficFail #NearMiss #BurbankFlight #LasVegasBound #FlightScare #JetDrop #PilotAlert #BreakingNews #AirCrisis ~ED.346~HT.408~GR.125~
