A Southwest passenger has shared footage aboard a flight that plunged horribly close to the ocean as it touched down.
Nancy Allen had been on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by the airline that travels from Columbus, Ohioin Tampa, Florida earlier this month.
While still four miles from landing in Tampa, Flight 425 plummeted just 175 feet above the ground.
An air traffic controller had to alert the crew on board the flight of its low altitude, which saw the plane divert to Fort Lauderdale about 200 miles away.
Allen frantically texted her husband on board after panic began to set in on the flight, WFLA reported
Allen, seen here, frantically texted her husband on board after panic began to set in on the flight.
An altitude chart from FlightAware shows how close the plane was to the ground, the second-to-last dip, before climbing sharply.
Speaking to WFLA, he told the network, “I I was worried we were flying into a Tampa storm, so I opened the window.
“I was watching as we approached, we approached MacDill Air Force Base and I know you can't fly over MacDill Air Force Base, it was just a single approach.”
Cell phone footage of the flight shows the plane climbing back up after attempting to land in Tampa, before being diverted to Fort Lauderdale.
Allen said it was at that point, he knew something was wrong, adding: “I was feeling a little panicked.
“At that point I panicked and started texting my husband, this is sketchy and I was texting him, abort, abort.”
With the flight landing safely, Allen said he was still wondering what exactly happened on board.
He added: “This was the worst flight I've been on in a long time.”
The nature of the incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
While still four miles from landing in Tampa, flight data showed it plummeted less than 200 feet from the ground.
Several Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are shown parked on the ground at Victorville Airport in California, March 2019
A statement from the airline said: “Southwest Flight 425 safely diverted to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on July 14 after the crew aborted its planned approach to Tampa International Airport.
“The aircraft returned to Tampa after a short stay on the ground in Fort Lauderdale. Southwest follows its robust Safety Management System and is in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration to understand and address any irregularities with the 'final approach of the plane.
“Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”
This incident comes after an incredibly similar incident late last month involving a Boeing 737 of the airline fell less than 500 feet over Oklahoma.
The flight was nine miles from Will Rogers World Airport when it plunged 400 to 500 feet while flying over a high school in the Yukon town.
Doorbell camera footage showed the Boeing 737 MAX-8 hovering over homes, before flying away.
One resident was startled by the plane's engine and wondered if the plane was ready for a collision.
The Boeing 737 MAX has been hit by corner-cutting claims by Boeing, which it blamed for two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
There's no word yet on whether this week's drama in Tampa was caused by plane or pilot error.
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