Sunday, March 23, 2025 Southwest Airlines is facing scrutiny after two pilots made a significant error during the departure of Flight 3278 from Orlando International Airport on Thursday, March 20th, 2025. The pilots mistakenly taxied down a taxiway instead of the approved runway, which could have led to a catastrophic aviation incident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the error, while Southwest has taken immediate action by removing the pilots from the flight.
According to reports from the FAA, Southwest Flight 3278, a Boeing 737, was cleared for takeoff on Runway 17R by air traffic control (ATC) at approximately 9:30 a.m. However, the pilots inadvertently began accelerating on a taxiway that ran parallel to the runway, reaching speeds of 70 knots.
This misjudgment prompted ATC to issue multiple warnings to the pilots, urging them to stop and correct the situation. After four warnings, the pilots aborted the flight and managed to bring the aircraft to a halt on the taxiway. Fortunately, the quick-thinking actions of the air traffic controllers averted a potential disaster.
The FAA has since launched an official investigation into the incident, and Southwest Airlines issued a public apology to passengers for the inconvenience caused. In a statement, Southwest Airlines confirmed that the pilots were removed from the aircraft, and passengers were promptly transferred to another flight with a new crew. The airline emphasized its commit.
