Boeing 737-200 N73SW

Summary

On 1 December 1991 at about 00:55 local time, a Boeing 737-200 registered N73SW, operated by Southwest Airlines, was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, United States. 107 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 December 1991 at 00:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Lubbock (LBB)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Boeing 737-200

Registration

N73SW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Southwest Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW92LA033

Nobody was injured.

THE IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH GEESE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING AT 190 KNOTS AND APPROXIMATELY 4700 FEET MSL ON A DARK NIGHT, WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF CANADIAN GEESE. ONE GOOSE PENETRATED THE PRESSURE BULKHEAD THROUGH THE RADOME. ANOTHER SPLATTERED DEBRIS OVER THE CAPTAIN'S WINDSHIELD, AND OTHERS DAMAGED FAIRINGS, WING ROOTS, AND KRUEGER FLAPS. THE FLIGHT CREW DID NOT SEE THE GEESE BEFORE IMPACT. THE FIRST OFFICER TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS FROM THE CAPTAIN AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.