Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midland, Texas 79711
Monday, March 16, 1987 18:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE PENETRATING A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS AT 35,000 EN ROUTE TO MIDLAND, TX, FROM DALLAS, TX, SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD JUST SAT DOWN BUT HAD NOT FASTENED HIS SEAT BELT AND WAS THROWN TO THE FLOOR SUSTAINING SERIOUS INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MIDLAND
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79711
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2871
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 200
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 58
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 454
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33618
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N314SW
NTSB Number FTW87LA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-300
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-300
Aircraft Serial Number 23336
Certified Max Gross Weight 135000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 137
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 12 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2866
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 37611
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75235
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code SWAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DAL
Departure City DALLAS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MAF
Destination City MIDLAND
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --