BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight out of Burbank described frightening moments when the plane rapidly descended shortly after takeoff to avoid a mid-air collision Friday.
About six minutes after Southwest flight 1496 took off from Hollywood Burbank Airport toward Las Vegas, it abruptly descended 475 feet - from 14,100 feet to 13,625 feet, according to FlightRadar24.
A viewer from Woodland Hills who was on that flight reached out to ABC7 as soon as the plane landed safely in Vegas. He said the pilot told him there was a collision avoidance alert and that's what caused the drop.
Two flight attendants were injured in the incident, Southwest Airlines said.