NEW YORK, July 26: A Southwest Airlines flight departing from Burbank Airport experienced a sudden mid-air drop of nearly 500 feet on Friday afternoon, potentially to avoid a collision with another aircraft, according to flight data and passenger accounts.

At 12:03 p.m., the aircraft was flying at 14,100 feet above the Angeles National Forest en route to Las Vegas when it unexpectedly descended to 13,625 feet, as shown by Flightradar24 data. The aircraft had been climbing steadily since takeoff before the abrupt drop occurred, startling passengers on board.

One of the passengers, Steve Ulasewicz, 33, of Woodland Hills, described the moment as a terrifying experience. Around eight minutes into the flight, he felt what he initially thought was turbulence, followed by a sudden free fall lasting about eight to ten seconds.

“People were screaming. I felt my body come up and out of the chair,” Ulasewicz recalled. “I thought that was it — I thought we were all dead.”

As the aircraft stabilized, confusion spread among passengers. Ulasewicz noticed a flight attendant holding an ice pack to her head—she had not been seated or buckled in during the ascent as she was preparing beverage service. It took two to three minutes before the pilot addressed passengers, informing them of a near miss with another aircraft, according to Ulasewicz.

The emotional shock turned into frustration as Ulasewicz cited other recent near-collision incidents across U.S. airspace. “It was terrifying,” he said. “Then it became anger.”

Southwest Airlines later confirmed the plane responded to two onboard traffic alerts and had to adjust its altitude accordingly. “The flight continued to Las Vegas, where it landed uneventfully,” said spokesperson Lynn Lunsford in a statement to The Times. “Southwest is engaged with the Federal Aviation Administration to further understand the circumstances.” While no passenger injuries were immediately reported, two flight attendants were being treated for injuries.

The FAA issued a statement confirming it is investigating the incident.

Flightradar24 data also showed a jet heading southwest toward Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu at an altitude of 14,525 feet during the time of the Southwest aircraft's descent. The planes were flying in opposite directions, approximately five miles apart and within 400 feet vertically, when the commercial jet took evasive action.

Analysis of flight data suggested the two aircraft could have come dangerously close—within 20 seconds of each other—had both continued on their original flight paths. The other aircraft, which began descending from above as the Southwest flight ascended, paused its descent after the near encounter. The jet’s ownership was listed under a Delaware corporation, and it remains unclear whether it was military-operated. Naval Base Ventura County did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The Southwest flight landed safely in Las Vegas at 12:39 p.m.

This latest event adds to growing concerns over aviation safety. In May, radar outages at Newark Liberty International Airport caused widespread flight disruptions. In January, a collision between a commercial aircraft and a military helicopter in Washington claimed 67 lives. In June, a private jet crash in San Diego killed all six people on board; investigators later revealed the plane had been flying too low before hitting power lines and crashing into a home. The airport’s automated weather and lighting systems were found to be non-operational at the time.

Federal authorities continue to scrutinize these incidents as they seek to improve aviation safety standards.