Incident Overview

Date: Monday 19 August 2024
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-7BD (WL)
Owner/operator: Southwest Airlines
Registration Number: N7734H
Location: near Highland Meadows, NM – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 93
Component Affected: Aircraft ? Boeing 737-700, Flight Attendant, First Officer, C Flight Attendant, and B Flight Attendant.Aircraft ? Boeing 737-700, Flight Attendant, First Officer, C Flight Attendant, and B Flight Attendant.
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 experienced moderate turbulence during descent into Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ) on August 26, 2023. The flight, a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), encountered turbulence that resulted in one flight attendant sustaining serious injuries. The flight crew reported experiencing intermittent light chop turbulence, with the captain observing 2-3 seconds of moderate turbulence at an altitude of approximately 12,000 feet. The aircraft encountered a brief, localized cirrus cloud, causing momentary foot displacement by the first officer. Following landing, the C flight attendant reported difficulty walking due to her feet leaving the floor, and was later diagnosed with a fractured left tibia. Weather data indicated a significant convective SIGMET was in effect for a region surrounding the accident area, warning of thunderstorms. Satellite imagery showed cumulous clouds to the west and southwest of Albuquerque, consistent with the convective conditions. The incident is attributed to a significant encounter with convectively induced turbulence during descent.A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 experienced moderate turbulence during descent into Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ) on August 26, 2023. The flight, a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), encountered turbulence that resulted in one flight attendant sustaining serious injuries. The flight crew reported experiencing intermittent light chop turbulence, with the captain observing 2-3 seconds of moderate turbulence at an altitude of approximately 12,000 feet. The aircraft encountered a brief, localized cirrus cloud, causing momentary foot displacement by the first officer. Following landing, the C flight attendant reported difficulty walking due to her feet leaving the floor, and was later diagnosed with a fractured left tibia. Weather data indicated a significant convective SIGMET was in effect for a region surrounding the accident area, warning of thunderstorms. Satellite imagery showed cumulous clouds to the west and southwest of Albuquerque, consistent with the convective conditions. The incident is attributed to a significant encounter with convectively induced turbulence during descent.

Description

Southwest Airlines flight WN1768, a Boeing 737-700, encountered turbulence during descent into Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California to ABQ. As a result of the turbulence, one flight attendant sustained serious injuries. The flight crew reported that the enroute weather was visual meteorological conditions, mostly clear skies, with occasional light chop turbulence. They had been monitoring their electronic flight bag applications for turbulence forecasts, one of which predicted an area of moderate turbulence about 80 miles prior to the top of descent. The captain asked the cabin crew to sit down for about 10 minutes as they transited that area, during which the turbulence was also occasional light chop. During the descent, at an altitude of about 12,000 ft, the aircraft experienced what the captain described as 2-3 seconds of moderate turbulence as the airplane flew through a cirrus cloud. The first officer recalled that it was the only cloud in the vicinity and described the turbulence (as they flew through it) as ?light chop’. After landing, the C flight attendant told the captain that during the turbulence, both of her feet left the floor momentarily, and that she landed awkwardly on her feet. The cabin crew left the airplane for their overnight. Shortly after, the B flight attendant returned to the airplane and told the flight deck crew that flight attendant C was having difficulty walking. She was later diagnosed with a fractured left tibia. A post-accident review of weather records revealed that a convective significant meteorological information (SIGMET) was in effect for an area surrounding the accident, warning of either existing or expected thunderstorms. Convective SIGMETS imply the possibility of severe or greater turbulence. There were no airman’s meteorological information (AIRMETS) in effect for the accident area, and no pilot reports (PIREPS) reporting any turbulence within 150 miles of the accident location. Satellite imagery near the time of the accident showed areas of cumulous clouds to the west and southwest of ABQ, in the area of the accident. The convective conditions and presence of cumulous clouds near the accident were consistent with convectively induced turbulence. Probable Cause: An encounter with convectively induced turbulence during descent.

Primary Cause

Convective induced turbulence during descent.Convective induced turbulence during descent.

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