# Accident 19990625043779A: Boeing 7373H4, Lafayette, LA, June 25, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 25, 1999, 19:45 local time - Place: Lafayette, LA - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: SWAA - Location: 30.2241° N, 92.0198° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lafayette, LA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2241&lon=-92.0198&mi=10 - Aircraft: N650SW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N650SW-2017-11-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Boeing 737-3H4 (registry code 138447K, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-3h4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 7373H4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA207](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA207) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990625043779A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON JUNE 25, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 1945 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BOEING 737-3H4 TRANSPORT AIRPLANE, N650SW, OPERATING AS SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, FLIGHT 1257, WAS UNDAMAGED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE NEAR LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT WOURKING IN THE GALLEY WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE 137 PASSENGERS, 2-PERSON FLIGHT CREW, AND 2 OTHER FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES COMPANY, DALLAS, TEXAS. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL330, APPROXIMATELY 125 MILES WEST OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (MSY), HE BECAME AWARE OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AFTER RECEIVING THE MSY ATIS REPORT. THE CAPTAIN INFORMED THE FIRST OFFICER OF THE WEATHER AND THE FIRST OFFICER TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PASSENGERS THAT THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT TO INITIATE THEIR DESCENT INTO MSY. HE ALSO BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS AOBUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ENCOUNTERING TURNULENCE WHILE IN THE VICINITY OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE CAPTAIN FURTHER STATED THAT SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, THE FLIGHT ENTERED AN AREA OF "STRATUS-LIKE CLOUDS", WITH A SMALL CELL APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES TO THE LEFT OF THEIR FLIGHT PATH. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN "JOLT", WHICH THE CREW DESCRIBED AS SIMILAR TO CROSSING THE WAKE OF ANOTHER 737 AT 90 DEGREES. THE JOLT WAS FOLLOWED WITH 10-12 SECONDS OF LIGHT TO OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE TURBULENCE ENDED WHEN THE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND SMOOTH AIR PREVAILED FOR THE REMINDER OF THE FLIGHT. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT IN THE AFT GALLEY IN THE AFT GALLEY OF THE AIRPLANE STATED THAT SHE WAS REACHING INSIDE OF THE CABINETS FOR CANS OF JUICE AND SODAS TO RESTOCK THE FORWARD GALLEY WHEN THE TURBULENCE OCCURRED. SHE FURTHER STATED THAT WHEN THE PLANE DROPPED ALTITUDE, SHE WENT UP IN THE AIR AND WHEN SHE CAME DOWN, SHE LANDED ON HER ANKLE. THE INJURED FLIGHT ATTENDANT ADVISED THE CAPTAIN OF HER INJURIES. THE CAPTAIN ASKED HER TO TRY TO REACH THE JUMP SEAT AND STRAP IN, WHICH SHE DID. A LANDING WAS MADE AT MSY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS EVACUATED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED TO HAVE SUSTAINED A BROKEN DISTAL FIBUAL THAT WAS DISPLACED. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW99LA207](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA207), Jun 26, 1999: Boeing 737-3H4 (N650SW), Lafayette, LA, no damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent flight into an adverse weather condition. A factor was the turbulence. ## Other reports on N650SW (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20101218054652A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101218054652A), Dec 18, 2010: Boeing 737-3H4 (N650SW), Philadelphia, PA, Minor damage. On December 18, 2010, southwest airlines (swa) flight 3944 (N650SW) received clearance from phl ramp control 2 for pushback from gate E-11AT 1103 EST. It was… - [Incident 20080824843509I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080824843509I), Aug 24, 2008: Boeing 7373H4 (N650SW), Ontario, CA, No damage. (-23) Southwest flt 43 encountered a bird strike on takeoff. Nr 1 engine injested bird causing vibration. Aircraft returned back to airport safely. Inspection… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.