Key Takeaways:
- Near-Collision Chaos: A Southwest pilot had to nosedive mid-flight from Burbank to Vegas to avoid a collision after reportedly losing contact with air traffic control.
- Passenger Panic: The sudden drop launched passengers into the ceiling, with one describing it as a real-life “Tower of Terror” experience.
- Regulatory Red Flags: The incident highlights serious concerns about FAA inefficiency and fuels renewed calls to modernize or privatize air traffic control systems.
A Southwest Airlines flight from Burbank to Las Vegas turned into a near-death rollercoaster ride this weekend after a terrifying midair incident sent passengers airborne—literally.
Roughly ten minutes after takeoff, the pilot was forced to nosedive the aircraft to avoid what passengers say was a potential head-on collision. The maneuver slammed people into the ceiling, with several comparing it to Disney’s infamous “Tower of Terror” ride—minus the fun and safety restraints.
“About 10 minutes into the flight, we plummeted pretty far, and I looked around, and everyone was like, ‘OK, that’s normal’,” one passenger told reporters. “Then, within two seconds, it felt like the ride Tower of Terror… The screaming, it was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash.”
According to passengers, the pilot later informed them that the plane had “almost collided with another plane,” adding that “they had lost air traffic control signal.” At least one flight attendant was reportedly injured during the dive.
laneLet’s be clear: this isn’t a freak storm or random turbulence. This is a failure of government-run air traffic control—yet another reminder that bloated, bureaucratic systems are no match for accountability and innovation. Our skies shouldn’t be managed like the DMV. If this doesn’t reignite the push for privatizing and modernizing ATC systems, what will?
The free market can fly circles around government inefficiency—and when American lives are at stake, it’s time to let common sense take the cockpit.