Southwest Airlines Flight Incident at LaGuardia Airport: A Closer Look

🛬Southwest Airlines flight 147 had a near miss with the tower at LaGuardia Airport during a difficult approach due to challenging weather conditions.

💨Winds at the time of the incident created a wind shear effect, which can disrupt the aircraft's stability during the approach.

🛫The aircraft went around and diverted to another airport due to being unstable during the approach and not aligned with the runway.

🌧️The weather conditions at LaGuardia Airport during the incident included low visibility, overcast skies, and gusty winds.

🔒Autopilot-coupled approaches are not authorized for the ILS Runway 04 at LaGuardia, requiring pilots to hand fly the approach.

What caused the near miss with the tower at LaGuardia Airport?

—The near miss occurred due to the aircraft being unstable during the approach and not aligned with the runway.

Why did the aircraft go around and divert to another airport?

—The aircraft went around and diverted due to being unstable during the approach, the challenging weather conditions, and the wind shear effect.

What were the weather conditions at the time of the incident?

—The weather conditions included low visibility, overcast skies, and gusty winds at LaGuardia Airport.

Why are autopilot-coupled approaches not authorized for the ILS Runway 04 at LaGuardia?

—Autopilot-coupled approaches are not authorized due to potentially erratic movements of the glide slope and localizer as the aircraft gets closer to the runway.

How did the aircraft's altitude and path deviate during the approaches?

—The aircraft deviated from the approach path, resulting in a near miss with the tower. The altitudes fluctuated as the aircraft encountered wind shear and struggled to align with the runway.

00:00On March 23rd, Southwest Airlines flight 147 had a near miss with the tower at LaGuardia Airport during a difficult approach.

01:25The weather at the time of the approach was challenging, with low visibility and gusty winds.

04:36The aircraft made a go-around due to being unstable and not aligned with the runway.

05:09The second approach also resulted in a go-around, possibly due to wind shear.

07:07The aircraft's altitude and path deviated significantly on the second approach.

09:33The crew requested a diversion to another airport due to the challenging conditions.

10:17The incident highlights the demanding nature of flying into LaGuardia Airport, especially in challenging weather.