Passengers on Southwest Airlines flight 3508 experienced significant turbulence on June 14, resulting in serious injuries to one passenger. The Boeing 737-700 was en route from Dallas Love Field to Panama City, Florida, when it encountered severe weather during its descent. As a result, the aircraft entered a holding pattern and eventually diverted to Jacksonville without further incident.
The Aviation Herald reported that the turbulence was due to adverse weather conditions in the area. After maintaining a holding pattern at 2,800 feet for approximately ten minutes, the flight safely landed in Jacksonville. The total duration of the flight extended to around two hours and forty minutes instead of the usual under two-hour journey.
Southwest Airlines operates numerous weekly flights between Dallas Love Field and Panama City using Boeing 737-700s among other aircraft types. Flight WN3508 departed with a slight delay but otherwise proceeded normally until encountering severe turbulence during its approach.