Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
William P. Hobby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Houston, Texas 77061
Tuesady, May 12, 2009 19:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to the flight, the flight crew and dispatcher were aware that the anti-skid system was inoperative. They had requested and were granted use of the longest runway for landing. The captain made a normal landing in the target area. After touchdown, he reduced the thrust levers to idle, rapidly brought the speed brake to the full-up detent, employed reverse thrust, and applied manual wheel braking. Marks on the runway showed that about 550 feet after initial touchdown, the right main landing gear tires blew. The tower controller and other aircraft advised the flight crew that there was a fire in the area of the right main landing gear. After the airplane came to a stop, the captain initiated an emergency evacuation on the runway. All 54 persons on-board exited the airplane in 57 seconds, and the fire was extinguished soon after. Two passengers reported minor injuries. The airplane sustained minor damage to the right main landing gear and a portion of the right flap. Examination of data retrieved from the flight data recorder showed that during the touchdown and landing roll, at 19:45:31, the recorded left brake pressure was 770 pounds per square inch (psi). The maximum recorded right brake pressure was 1430 psi at 19:45:32. The maximum recorded left brake pressure was 990 psi. With the anti-skid system disabled, the pilot applying excessive braking during touchdown would cause the wheels to lock and the associated tires to blow. The airplane's quick reference handbook states "Use minimum braking consistent with runway conditions to reduce the possibility of a tire blowout."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadvertent application of excessive braking after touchdown, which caused the right wheels to lock and several tires to blow and resulted in a subsequent brake fire.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 5/12/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1945 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Houston |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77061 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 293826N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0951626W |
| Event Location Airport | William P. Hobby Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HOU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 46 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1950 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HOU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 46 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 17 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.9 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KHOU 130053Z 15011G17KT 10SM FEW027 SCT250 2 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | 51 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27593 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW Regional Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 7 2010 6:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N371SW |
| NTSB Number | CEN09IA294 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOEING |
| Aircraft Model | 737 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 3H4 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 26598 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 13600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 4 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | 4 |
| Passenger Seats | 137 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 145 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 8 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 52892 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 36611 |
| Aircraft Owner City | DALLAS |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75235 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. BOX 36611 |
| Operator City | DALLAS |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75235 |
| 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 | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | SWAA304A |
| 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 | MSY |
| Departure City | New Orleans |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1830 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | HOU |
| Destination City | Houston |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 5 2010 10:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 7602 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |