Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hastings, Nebraska 68901
Saturday, September 16, 2006 20:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was in cruise flight at 37,000 feet, and was approaching an area of thunderstorm activity. The seat belt sign was on, and the flight attendants were asked to return to their seats. The flight crew responded to a traffic collision alert by descending, and making a right turn, and then attempted to fly the best route through the weather; however, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence for about 30 seconds, and two flight attendants were injured, one seriously. The flight continued to its destination airport, and landed without further incident. Data from the airplane's flight data recorder indicated that the upset was consistent with the airplane's encounter with turbulence.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The airplane's in flight encounter with thunderstorm related turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/2006
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Hastings
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68901
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403510N
Event Location Longitude 0982318W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2010 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID OMA
Elevation of weather observation facility 984
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 120
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 140
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22938
NTSB Notification Source SWA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albany

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N793SA
NTSB Number NYC06LA223
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 737-700
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 27888
Certified Max Gross Weight 139000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 145
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 21363
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Southwest Airlines
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dallas
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75235
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LAS
Departure City Las Vegas
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ALB
Destination City Albany
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2007 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --