Federal officials are investigating a frightening incident during a Southwest Airlines flight that sent the plane into a rolling motion at 32,000 feet and left the jet with significant damage.
The incident happened on a May 25 flight from Phoenix to Oakland, which was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, according to an incident report filed by the Federal Aviation Administration on June 12.
The incident report indicates the Boeing 737 Max jet experienced an unusual motion known as a "Dutch roll" in mid-air.
According to Business Insider, "A Dutch roll describes a plane rocking from side to side and changing in yaw — the direction the nose is facing — simultaneously resembling a horizontal figure-eight pattern. It can be particularly nauseating for passengers."
The FAA said the pilots were able to regain control of the aircraft, which went on to land safely in Oakland. No injuries were reported.
A post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the jet's standby power control unit, which provides backup power to the rudder.
"Any uncommanded flight control movement is potentially significant. The fact that this resulted in significant damage makes this sort of a big deal," Aviation Safety Analyst Robert Sumwalt told CBS News.
A cause of the incident remains under investigation by the FAA, Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board. The jet involved, which is less than two years old, remains out of service and on the ground, according to reports.