Boeing 737-8H4 N8642E

Summary

On 9 October 2021 at about 00:30 local time, a Boeing 737-8H4 registered N8642E, operated by Southwest Airlines Co, was involved in an accident near Lexington, Virginia, United States. 112 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 October 2021 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lexington, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.8000, -79.1000

Aircraft

Boeing 737-8H4

Registration

N8642E

Category

Airplane

Year built

2014

Engines

2

Operator

Southwest Airlines Co

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Baltimore → Atlanta

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

DCA22LA012

1 person was seriously injured.

The airplane’s inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was in cruise flight when it encountered convective turbulence at flight level (FL) 320. Weather conditions were dark moonless night with scattered storms visible on radar, but the crew reported no returns along their path. A Convective SIGMET was in effect for the area which forecast cloud tops to FL320. The cabin crew was conducting drink service. The flight crew stated they unexpectedly entered a cloud and experienced moderate to borderline severe turbulence. The C flight attendant fell and broke her ankle.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.