West Woodward Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laverne, Oklahoma 73848
Tuesady, March 20, 2012 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight had been experiencing moderate turbulence along its route. Once the turbulence had subsided, the seatbelt sign was turned off. The flight attendants had resumed their service when the flight encountered three additional turbulence jolts. The aft galley flight attendant was trying to get seated and strapped into the jumpseat but was injured when another turbulence jolt occurred. She was thrown across the galley and hit her back/ribs on an object. Flight data recorder information showed that vertical accelerations fluctuated between about 0.75 g and 1.2 g; lateral accelerations also fluctuated during this period, between about +/- 0.05 g. An airmen’s meteorological information advisory for moderate turbulence was active for the accident location at the time. A significant meteorological information advisory for occasional severe turbulence was active for an area west of the accident location.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/2012
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Laverne
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73848
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 363306N
Event Location Longitude 93;3710W
Event Location Airport West Woodward Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WWR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 27
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2189
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 835 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID WWR
Elevation of weather observation facility 2189
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
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 --
Injury Total None 141
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31743
NTSB Notification Source Southwest Airlines Safety
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 7 2013 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N247WN
NTSB Number WPR12LA144
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 737-7H4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32508
Certified Max Gross Weight 154500
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 140
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 103
Airframe Hours 20917
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2702 LOVE FIELD DR # HDQ-4GC
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75235-1908
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 2702 LOVE FIELD DR # HDQ-4GC
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 75235-1908
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 --
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 TPA
Departure City Tampa
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 653
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHX
Destination City Phoenix
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 7 2013 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --