Boeing 737-7H4 N915WN

Summary

On 23 February 2012 at about 20:30 local time, a Boeing 737-7H4 registered N915WN, operated by Southwest Airlines Co, was involved in an accident near Pawnee, Nebraska, United States. 140 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 February 2012 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pawnee, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

40.1689, -96.1519

Aircraft

Boeing 737-7H4

Registration

N915WN

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Southwest Airlines Co

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chicago → Las Angeles

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA119

1 person was seriously injured.

The airplane's encounter with moderate turbulence during cruise flight, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had been cruising in smooth air conditions for over 30 minutes when it suddenly encountered 2 to 3 seconds of moderate turbulence. The momentary altitude and roll deviation of the airplane, which was corrected by the autopilot, threw one of the flight attendants against the airplane structure, which resulted in a serious injury to her hand. The flight crew had not been given any turbulence advisories by air route traffic controllers, and the flight crew had not overheard any airplanes in the area reporting moderate turbulence. Immediately after the encounter, the airplane continued in smooth air conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.