Southwest under investigation after Hawaii flight quickly drops to within 400 feet of ocean

Something is way off here. Modern commercial jets DO NOT descend to 400' AGL "To try and get under the weather". Even for instrument landings there are published minimum visibility rules as well as minimum altitude rules for the approach and landing. Known as "Minimums" that are published for every airport on the approach plates that this aircraft would be capable of landing at. It makes perfect sense that the aircraft circled in a holding pattern hoping for a change in conditions, dropping down to 400' AGL IS NOT an approved procedure for ANY airline. I am not sure who that "former pilot" was trying to gaslight, but the ONLY time a commercial jet would be justified being at 400' AGL is during the last 60 seconds or so before touchdown of an actual landing approach.

I do not believe that scenario.

So the reporter says it was a less experienced officer inadvertently pushing the column down and dropping the speed... then you have this pilot come on and say they were just going down to 400 feet to find the runway and then they did a go around... those things are incongruent with each other, right? Am I missing something?

People... 737 / 757 / 767 pilot here. It appears that this flight flew an instrument approach with a 400 foot minimum altitude, and upon reaching that minimum, didn't have the required visibility conditions, and flew a missed approach. No big deal. Maybe the crew was a bit rough in handling the plane, but this is no "diving at the ocean."

Blame the new guy

Remember the old days flying between the islands in prop planes? It was an "E" ticket ride!

Why so long to report this incident? This happened in April and it’s mid June? And they’re always having a legitimate reason why these coincidences happen…1st class officer? Just thankful no one got hurt🙏🏽💟✈️💨🛫🛩️

This story did a nice job convoluting several different completely unrelated airline incidents and summing it up that they were all Boeing aircraft. Nonsense. If the airlines can't fly all the way down to "minimums", which is the lowest FAA approved altitude they can descend to in order to visually spot the runway for landing before "going around" to try again, then airline passengers should be prepared to only fly on clear and cloud free days. That would reduce flights by about 75%.

They couldn't see through the clouds? How do planes land at night, smart guy? What is that GPS for? Did other planes land that day? I, for one, call BS!

When sensationalism is used to merely get clicks and views. Damned true journalism.

Kauai is known to have windy conditions for making it difficult for planes.

The Mcnamee guy is completely wrong in saying he thought they descended on purpose, just before he spoke the memo confirms it was an accidental descent due to a “less experienced” first officer.

Weak reporting although she's pretty. Doesn't even tell us it's allegedly the troubled 737 Max again. If the FO did go down to 400 for visuals then why not just say that? If it's heavily clouded that would make sense.

The severe turbulence one on Hawaiian from Phoenix to Honolulu was an Airbus A330-200. They got that part wrong with all the incidents they mentioned were all Boeing. One of them was an Airbus

So Southwest explained the issue as a first officer making a mistake and cutting all power, but the doofus guest Mcnamee said they went low to look under the clouds? 😂😂😂 Why would the news program even air his ridiculous comments?

Sad part is that the pilots were likely fighting against autopilot, good news is that they were smart enough to evade tragedy. Big dubs to the cockpit.

Maybe Kauai should build an airport at another location to mitigate weather conditions or stick to cruise ships to travel between islands.

"All involving Boeing airplanes"... this reporter needs another job... There was no mention of mechanical issues with any of these incidents. Really @Hawaii News Now? Get a grip. Stop scaring your base or start taking boats to the outer islands...

Was it a MAX? I have never flown a commercial aircraft or any aircraft for that matter and not even I would reduce power and push the control column forward not even inadvertently.

So let me get this straight, the plane actually slammed the ocean??? Or they were close to?