American Airlines plane drops 15,000 feet in 3 minutes, passengers say experience was 'scary'

American Airlines Flight 5916 on Thursday took off from Charlotte, North Carolina, and was headed to Gainesville, Florida, when crew members on the plane reported a possible pressurization issue, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told FOX 35.

University of Florida Professor Harrison Hove, who was one of the passengers on the flight, shared his 'scary' experience on X.

"I’ve flown a lot. This was scary. Kudos to our amazing flight crew- cabin staff and pilots on @AmericanAir 5916. The photos cannot capture the burning smell, loud bang or ear pops. Good to be on the ground. #AA5916 #CLT #GNV," he wrote on X.

American Airlines said the sudden drop in altitude occurred due to a pressurization issue.

"American Eagle flight 5916, operated by Piedmont Airlines, from Charlotte (CLT) to Gainesville, Florida (GNV) landed safely in GNV on Thursday, August 10. While inflight, the crew received an indication of a possible pressurization issue and immediately and safely descended to a lower altitude. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience and thank our team for their professionalism," the spokesperson told Fox Business.