Southwest Airlines plane hit by gunfire before takeoff at Dallas Love Field

Policy

Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Nov 16, 2024

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 preparing for takeoff from Dallas Love Field Airport was struck by a bullet. The incident occurred on Friday evening as Flight 2494 was set to depart for Indianapolis International Airport. The bullet hit the right side of the aircraft "just below the flight deck," according to a Southwest spokesperson who spoke with Reuters. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the bullet impacted an area "near the cockpit." As a result, the aircraft returned to the gate and was removed from service. The airport temporarily closed Runway 13R/31L but quickly reopened it, noting there was "minimal impact on operations."

Gunfire incidents involving commercial flights are rare in the United States but occur more frequently than in countries with stricter gun control laws. In some regions like Haiti and Papua New Guinea, such incidents are more common due to armed gangs.

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Earlier this week, three aircraft operated by American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines were targeted by gunfire upon approach to Haiti's Port-au-Prince. This led the FAA to issue a NOTAM banning flights to Haiti for at least 30 days. American Airlines suspended its flights to Haiti until February after discovering a bullet hole in one of its 737 MAX 8s.

Following the Dallas incident, passengers deplaned at the gate and were accommodated on a replacement flight using a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration: N8858K). This flight arrived in Indianapolis at 01:52 local time with just over a two-hour delay.

On the same day as this incident, another Southwest flight faced an emergency when a passenger's cellphone caught fire. Over 100 passengers evacuated as smoke filled the cabin. The cellphone owner suffered minor burns, and another passenger sustained injuries during evacuation.