On May 25, Southwest Flight N8825Q, a Boeing 737 carrying 175 passengers, experienced a Dutch roll at 32,000 feet while en route from Phoenix to Oakland. The Dutch roll phenomenon caused the plane’s tail to sway, leading to significant damage and rendering the aircraft out of service.

Despite the ordeal, the pilots were able to regain control and safely land the plane in Oakland, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Fortunately, no injuries were reported as pilots are trained to counter Dutch roll, and modern planes are equipped to combat it with a yaw damper.

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The FAA, in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing, is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident and has pledged to take appropriate action based on the findings. A preliminary report from the FAA revealed that a power control unit on the plane, responsible for providing backup power to the rudder, had been damaged.

Both Boeing and Southwest Airlines have declined to comment on the incident. However, Southwest has confirmed its cooperation with FAA investigators.

This incident adds to the concerns surrounding Boeing aircraft, as the company continues to face scrutiny over safety issues. At least 20 whistleblowers have come forward with complaints against Boeing, and the company has been under fire for technical failures in recent years. Additionally, a scathing House Transportation and Infrastructure report in September 2020 highlighted serious failures by Boeing and regulators, particularly in relation to the 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019.

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