South
Southwest Airlines flight to Hawaiian island plunges, comes within 400 feet of Pacific Ocean: Report
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft came within 400 feet of slamming into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai after weather conditions forced pilots to swiftly change course.
A Southwest Airlines memo to pilots, obtained by Bloomberg News, detailed Southwest Flight 2786 from the April 11 flight from Honolulu International Airport to Lihue Airport in Kauai.
Passengers were left white-knuckled after the aircraft dropped from nearly 16,000 feet to an altitude of 409 feet.
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A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet departs from San Diego International Airport en route to Denver on January 13, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
According to the Southwest memo, the incident occurred following an aborted landing attempt due to bad weather that blocked pilots from seeing the runway at the specified altitude.
The memo noted that the captain opted to put the “newer” first officer in command of the 100-mile interisland flight, despite the pending weather.
The less-experienced first officer “inadvertently” pushed forward on the control column, which controls the plane’s pitch and roll, then cut the speed, causing the airplane to rapidly descend.
The Makua Reef, Tunnels Beach and the Haena Beach Park on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The pilot’s aggressive movement prompted the warning system to sound the alarm that the passenger aircraft was getting too close to the terrain.
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The memo said that the captain ordered the first officer to increase thrust – prompting the aircraft to “climb aggressively” at 8,500 feet per minute.
Southwest Airlines Co is the largest low-cost carrier in the world with headquarters in Dallas, Texas and a fleet of 802 Boeing 737 planes. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The interisland flight, which should have been approximately 22 minutes long, departed Honolulu at 6:45 p.m., but following the incident, the plane returned to Honolulu at 8:09 p.m.
No one was injured during the hair-raising ride.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said that “the event was addressed appropriately.”
“Nothing is more important to Southwest than safety,” the spokesperson said. “Through our robust Safety Management System, the event was addressed appropriately as we always strive for continuous improvement.”
The Federal Aviation Administration told Fox News Digital that it is “investigating the incident.”
A United Airlines Boeing 777 flight, in Dec. 2022, plunged 775 feet. (United Airlines)
The Southwest incident is reminiscent of the United Airlines Boeing 777 Dreamliner plunge incident which occurred off Maui in 2022.
The Boeing 777-200 reached an altitude of 2,200 feet about a minute after takeoff from Maui on Dec. 18, 2022, before plunging to 775 feet above sea level nearly 20 seconds later.
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“After landing at SFO, the pilots filed the appropriate safety report,” a United Airlines spokesman told FOX Business in a statement. “United then closely coordinated with the FAA and ALPA [Air Line Pilots Association] on an investigation that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training. Safety remains our highest priority.”
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Arkansas State Police has announced that they are now accepting applications for Troop Class 2027-A as part of a two-month recruitment program.
The training program is a 21-week law enforcement training program scheduled to start in January that is open to both certified and non-certified applicants.
“With the return of The Big Hat Law has come a renewed investment in our Troopers,” said Colonel Mike Hagar, Director of the Arkansas State Police (ASP). “This is more than a job – it’s a calling. We’re looking for the best of the best who are ready to step up, serve with honor, and wear the hat with pride.
New Troopers will receive the following compensation package:
- Starting salary of $67,675
- Family health insurance coverage
- Non-contributory retirement plan
- Total compensation valued at $108,684
- Overtime Opportunities
In addition to the compensation package, ASP says that their new Troopers will also earn the privilege of serving the public on the front lines, protecting communities, enforcing the law, and being a part of the 91-year-old nationally recognized tradition.
“Arkansas is investing in the next generation of state Troopers because we know that more law enforcement equals safer streets, safer communities, and a safer state,” said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “There is no better state to serve in law enforcement than Arkansas, and I encourage anyone who shares the Arkansas State Police’s values of bravery, integrity, and public service to apply.”
Applications for Troop School 2027-A will be open from 5 p.m. on May 1 to July 1, 2026. ASP encourages those interested to get ahead of the process and start their application now.
For more information about Troop School or application requirements, click here or email the ASP Recruiting Office at recruiting@asp.arkansas.gov.
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A 30-year-old man has been indicted in the killing of his grandmother, Delaware State Police said.
The grandmother, 72-year-old Elizabeth Fritchey, lived for 12 days after Dempsey Fritchey assaulted her inside the Hyatt House Lewes / Rehoboth Beach hotel on Jan. 29, police said. This is the first time police have publicly acknowledged the woman’s death.
Dempsey Fritchey was indicted by a Sussex County grand jury on April 13 on a charge of first-degree murder, police said. He remains in the Delaware Department of Correction’s custody.
What happened
The Fritcheys were staying at the Lewes-area hotel, located at 17254 Five Points Square, Jan. 29 when police said he began assaulting his grandmother – striking her with his hands and feet.
He then went to the lobby about 5:45 p.m. and told hotel staff that he’d killed his grandmother, police said.
Arriving officers found Dempsey Fritchey near the hotel lobby. He “told troopers that he may have killed his grandmother.”
Troopers went to the Fritcheys’ room, where police said they found the grandmother. She was unconscious and had injuries to her face and head.
Troopers provided her with medical aid until EMS arrived. She was then taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.
She died on Feb. 10 from the injuries she received during the assault, police said.
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
Tallahassee State College’s District Board of Trustees is keeping three of its current members after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent reappointments.
TSC board chair and longtime member Eugene Lamb as well as trustees Karen Moore and Sara Bayliss will remain on the college’s board after being reappointed by the governor May 1.
At the same time, Moore was reappointed to the board by DeSantis less than five months ago in December 2025 during the same time of Bayliss’ initial appointment. Trustees are usually appointed to four-year terms at a time before being considered for reappointment. The timing of the reappointments is unclear, a TSC spokesperson said.
Moore’s reappointment comes after she has served as a trustee at TSC since 2007 when she was first appointed by former Gov. Charlie Crist followed by reappointments by former Gov. Rick Scott and DeSantis.
The CEO and founder of The Moore Agency currently serves as chair of the Florida College System Foundation Board of Directors and is a member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is also founder and chair at Tallahassee Collegiate Academy (TCA), which is the college’s STEM-based charter school on its campus.
Bayliss is a college admissions advisor at St. John Paul II Catholic High School in Tallahassee and a counselor at Game Plan College Admissions Counseling. The Florida State University alumna earned her bachelor’s degree in management information systems and French from the University of Iowa and her master’s degree in business administration from FSU.
Regarding Lamb’s reappointment, it comes as he is currently serving in his fifth non-consecutive term as chair of the board. Lamb, a Midway native and army veteran who had a 33-year career of working with youth as a teacher and coach, first joined the college’s board in 2007 after being appointed by Crist. Since then, he has been reappointed to five consecutive terms by Scott and DeSantis.
In addition, Lamb – who’s well known and celebrated by the TSC community for laying bricks for the first buildings on the college campus as a young man – was named Trustee of the Year in 2024 by the American Association of Community Colleges, which honored his leadership and service.
All reappointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida. She can be reached at tjean@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @tarahjean_.
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