Southwest Airlines has just internally revealed details of an incident that occurred back in April 2024, which can only be described as a very close call.

Southwest 737 descends to 400 feet above ocean

This incident dates back to April 11, 2024, and involves Southwest Airlines flight WN2786, scheduled to operate from Honolulu (HNL) to Lihue (LIH). The short 102-mile flight was operated by a roughly two-year-old Boeing 737 MAX 8 with the registration code N8788L.

Interestingly this incident wasn’t investigated by authorities at the time. Instead, this safety incident was reported internally, and Southwest’s Director of Flight Safety Programs & Assurance recently sent a memo to all pilots about what happened, which is why this is now getting some publicity.

With this incident, a very senior captain and a very junior first officer were paired on a three-day trip to Hawaii. The flight from the mainland to Hawaii went well, and then on the second day they were supposed to operate some inter-island flights.

Before the first flight, the pilots saw that the weather conditions at Lihue Airport were bad (poor visibility, thunderstorms, strong winds, etc.), and many pilots of other aircraft were performing missed approaches. Nonetheless, the captain elected to have the first officer be the “pilot flying” on this sector, to build their experience.

The pilots were prepared for a potential go around, given that conditions at the departure airport were just above the “minimums” needed to land, so they were fully briefed on the correct procedures. Sure enough, when the aircraft approached runway 17, the pilots didn’t have the runway in sight, so the first officer called for a go around. Unfortunately this go around was anything but routine.

During the go around, the first officer inadvertently pushed forward on the control column. The first officer also noticed the red airspeed tape, and pulled back on the thrust levers. When you push forward the control column and reduce thrust, there’s only one direction the plane is going, and that’s down. The plane descended all the way down to 400 feet(!!!!) above the Pacific Ocean.

While the “DON’T SINK” and “PULL UP” warnings went off in the cockpit during this time, the first officer states they didn’t hear this due to intense task saturation.

Fortunately the captain noticed what was going on at this point, and told the first officer to climb and turn left, causing the first officer to aggressively increase thrust. The aircraft climbed, maxing out at a climb rate of 8,500 feet per minute, which is very high.

Once the situation stabilized, the pilots first entered a holding pattern, and then made the decision to return to Honolulu, where the plane landed just under 85 minutes after it first departed.

Once back on the ground in Honolulu, the captain consulted with the dispatcher, and made the decision to try flying to Lihue again, with the captain being the “pilot flying” this time. Interestingly, the first officer didn’t speak up against this at the time, but later said that they wish they had shared their desire not to try a second attempt.

The first officer stated that they didn’t speak up in order to maintain the integrity of Southwest’s operation, and also because regulatory requirements to operate were still being met. So the flight departed Honolulu again, but weather conditions deteriorated, so the aircraft ultimately returned to Honolulu a second time.

@jonostrower published the full letter that Southwest shared internally with pilots regarding the incident, which is some fascinating reading.

I’m curious what’s learned from this event

It goes without saying that this event was terrifying, and a close call. The aircraft descended all the way down to 400 feet with virtually no visibility, so the plane was literally seconds from being in the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately this had a good ending for all involved.

There’s something to be learned from every aviation incident. Both pilots participated in a human factors interview following the flight, and stated that “seeing the severity of the event through the animations was a significant, emotional event.” The pilots also participated in comprehensive, corrective action, including Line Experience.

It’s way beyond my area of expertise to judge what happened here. It’s common for senior captains to be paired with junior officers (especially given how airline hiring has evolved in recent years), and it’s also important for newer pilots to gain experience with difficult situations, under close supervision.

What’s at least reassuring here is how transparently Southwest is communicating internally regarding this incident, and the fact that the pilots voluntarily reported what happened. That’s ultimately how aviation becomes safer.

Bottom line

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 had a close call in Hawaii back in April, while trying to land in Lihue during a storm. A junior first officer was flying, and executed a go around. Somehow the first officer inadvertently pushed the control column down while also reducing thrust, causing the jet to descend to an altitude of just 400 feet above sea level.

Once the error was realized, the pilots went to the opposite extreme, and the jet climbed at a speed of up to 8,500 feet per minute. Fortunately the pilots managed to divert the aircraft safely back to Honolulu, but my gosh, what an incident.

What do you make of this Southwest incident?

Coco Palms Resort on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is finally getting a new life as a Kimpton resort participating in IHG One Rewards.

Since 1992, the famed resort has sat untouched and in disrepair after being significantly damaged during Hurricane Iniki. Before that, the hotel was a hot spot for celebrities back in its heyday, hosting the likes of Elvis Presley, Gene Autry and Rita Hayworth.

Now, the property will transform into Coco Palms, A Kimpton Resort, the first property in IHG’s luxury and lifestyle collection in Hawaii. It is set to open in 2026.

Reef Capital Partners owns the dilapidated resort, which has remained essentially untouched for over 30 years, according to Hawaii’s KHON-TV. The owners reportedly plan to spend $400 million to repair it.

Once opened, the fresh resort will feature 350 rooms in three different low-rise buildings and a redesign “guided by Native Hawaiian advisors within the local community,” according to a statement from IHG. This will ensure that “guests are welcomed with an authentic, culturally rich experience.”

Once restored and renovated, Coco Palms will offer three swimming pools and various restaurants and bars, including a rooftop bar and a pool bar. The original hotel’s evening torch-lighting ceremony will also return after three decades.

Additionally, the resort will have an on-site cultural center and museum that celebrates the island of Kauai and its history and traditions through special exhibits, lectures, activations and other educational experiences.

“Hawaii beckons travelers seeking both relaxation and discovery,” Leanne Harwood, IHG’s senior vice president and managing director for luxury and lifestyle in the Americas, said in the statement. “This wholly reimagined resort will welcome not only visitors but also the local community, with unique, culturally respectful experiences all within an inspiring boutique luxury setting.”

Once open, Coco Palms will serve as the “west coast resort flagship” and join a series of Kimpton-branded resorts around the world, including properties in Thailand, Spain and the Caribbean.

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Two weeks after losing a pair of projected top pitchers for its 2025 team to the NCAA transfer portal, the University of Hawaii baseball team lost another impact arm to the portal on Thursday.

Brayden Marx, who developed into a late-inning option out of the bullpen for the Rainbow Warriors as a true freshman in 2024, has entered the portal. Marx finished his first collegiate season with a 4-0 record with 24 strikeouts in 17.1 innings with an ERA of 4.15.

Marx joins Harrison Bodendorf and Alex Giroux as pitchers who were projected to have major roles for the Rainbow Warriors in 2025 who will play college ball elsewhere next year.

Since the departures of Bodendorf and Giroux, the Rainbow Warriors have restocked their roster with a pair of junior college standouts in pitcher Hekili Robello and Taylor Takata, who both hail from the islands.

Robello, a Hilo alumnus, will transfer to UH from Santa Rosa Junior College. The right-handed pitcher has a fastball in the low-90s to go with a plus slider.

Takata, a shortstop from Orange Coast College, graduated high school from Kailua. He is expected to compete for a starting spot in the infield, particularly if incumbent starting shortstop Jordan Donahue is selected in July’s MLB Draft.