Sunday, September 8, 2024 Southwest Airlines flight WN984, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8, made an emergency landing at Ontario International Airport after crew members reported a “smell of smoke” in the cabin. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the aircraft, registered as N1807U, departed from gate D7 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) at 19:20, slightly behind its scheduled departure time of 19:05. After taxiing to runway 7L, the flight took off at 19:31, following the usual eastward departure protocol from Phoenix.
As the aircraft climbed to 38,000 feet, it followed a northwest trajectory toward its destination, San Francisco International Airport (SFO). However, at approximately 19:50, the flight began to descend and alter its course. Flight data from Flightradar24 indicates the aircraft changed direction over Victorville and turned southeast, flying over the San Bernardino National Forest before continuing its descent.
At 20:24, the plane aligned for its final approach and landed safely on runway 26R at 20:29. Though the exact source of the smoke smell remains unclear, officials suspect it may have originated from nearby wildfires along the flight path. According to CNN, the Line Fire, which broke out near the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, had rapidly grown by Saturday evening, scorching over 17,200 acres and threatening around 4,800 homes.
With 0% containment at the time of the incident, the wildfire’s smoke likely contributed to the odor detected onboard. Southwest Airlines responded swiftly, ensuring the safety of passengers and crew by dispatching a replacement aircraft to complete the journey to San Francisco..
