A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 was hit by a bullet as it prepared for takeoff from Dallas Love Field Airport. A bullet struck the right side of the aircraft “just below the flight deck” and it returned to the gate with no reported injuries.
Southwest 737 struck by bullet at Dallas Love Field
On Friday evening, Southwest Airlines Flight 2494 from Dallas Love Field (DAL) to Indianapolis International (IND) was preparing to depart Dallas when the bullet hit. By the sounds of it, the aircraft – a Boeing 737-800 – had not yet initiated its takeoff roll, with a Southwest spokesperson telling Reuters it was “while the crew was preparing for takeoff.”
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) statement, the bullet hit an area “near the cockpit”—fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident, although it forced the aircraft to return to the gate. An airline spokesperson confirmed that it had been removed from service. The airport was forced to temporarily close Runway 13R/31L but quickly reopened it, adding in a statement that there was “minimal impact on operations.”
Photo: Lukas Souza | Simple Flying
Gunfire incidents like this are relatively rare in the US, although they happen more frequently than in a country with stricter gun control laws, such as the UK. However, in other areas of the world, it’s more likely for commercial flights to encounter gunfire – this includes places like Haiti and Papua New Guinea, where armed gangs are common and often fire potshots at aircraft.
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FAA Halts US Flights To Haiti After Gunfire Targets 3 Aircraft
Aircraft operated by Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, and JetBlue were the target of Gunfire on Monday.
Earlier this week, three aircraft flying with American Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines were shot on the same day upon approach to Haiti’s Port-au-Prince, forcing the FAA to issue a NOTAM banning airlines from flying to Haiti for at least 30 days. American Airlines subsequently announced it was suspending flights to Haiti until February after discovering a bullet hole in one of its 737 MAX 8s.
That particular aircraft had flown four additional flights before maintenance discovered the hole, showing how much of a hidden danger ground gunfire can sometimes be.
Replacement flight the same evening
Passengers deplaned the aircraft at the gate and were accommodated on a replacement flight operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration: N8858K). This flight would arrive in Indianapolis at 01:52 local time, representing a delay of just over two hours.
Photo: BlueBarronPhoto | Shutterstock
Another Southwest flight suffered a high-profile incident on the very same day after a passenger’s cellphone caught fire, forcing more than 100 passengers to evacuate as smoke filled the cabin. The cellphone owner sustained minor burns, while another passenger was injured during the evacuation process.
