What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Southwest airlines flight 2534 was on the lynxx 8 arrival to bur. ATC vectored the aircraft off the lynxx 8 arrival. ATC instructed the aircraft to turn left to a heading of 190 and descend to 6000 feet. The crew read back the the heading of 190 and decsent to 6000 feet. According to the flight crew statements, the captain entered a heading of 190 and the altitude of 6000 into the mode control panel (mcp). He then selected heading and VNAV mode on the mcp. The first officer stated he confirmed the heading and altitude settings in the mcp. The aircraft started to turn left and started to descend to 6000 feet. The TCAS system issued a traffic advisory to the crew. ATC also advised the crew of VFR traffic at 6100 feet and 5 miles. ATC also issued a traffic advisory at one mile to the aircraft. At this point, the TCAS system gave the crew a traffic advisory with a resolution alert (ra) at approximately one mile. The captain followed the ra and advised ATC they had a ra. The TCAS system commanded a descent then commanded a climb. After the aircraft was climbing the crew reported traffic in sight and that the traffic was not a factor. ATC notified the crew they were on a 160 heading instead of the assigned 190 heading. The first officer stated the heading selected on the mcp was showning 163 and he did not know how or when the heading selected was changed. The three flight attendants were stationed in the aft galley preparing the cabin for landing when the crew received the ra. Two of the three flight attendants were injured, one received serious injuries. Both flight attendants were transported to a local hospital after landing and were released.
As the FAA filed it
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT 2534 WAS ON THE LYNXX 8 ARRIVAL TO BUR. ATC VECTORED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE LYNXX 8 ARRIVAL. ATC INSTRUCTED THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN LEFT TO A HEADING OF 190 AND DESCEND TO 6000 FEET. THE CREW READ BACK THE THE HEADING OF 190 AND DECSENT TO 6000 FEET. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT CREW STATEMENTS, THE CAPTAIN ENTERED A HEADING OF 190 AND THE ALTITUDE OF 6000 INTO THE MODE CONTROL PANEL (MCP). HE THEN SELECTED HEADING AND VNAV MODE ON THE MCP. THE FIRST OFFICER STATED HE CONFIRMED THE HEADING AND ALTITUDE SETTINGS IN THE MCP. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO TURN LEFT AND STARTED TO DESCEND TO 6000 FEET. THE TCAS SYSTEM ISSUED A TRAFFIC ADVISORY TO THE CREW. ATC ALSO ADVISED THE CREW OF VFR TRAFFIC AT 6100 FEET AND 5 MILES. ATC ALSO ISSUED A TRAFFIC ADVISORY AT ONE MILE TO THE AIRCRAFT. AT THIS POINT, THE TCAS SYSTEM GAVE THE CREW A TRAFFIC ADVISORY WITH A RESOLUTION ALERT (RA) AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE. THE CAPTAIN FOLLOWED THE RA AND ADVISED ATC THEY HAD A RA. THE TCAS SYSTEM COMMANDED A DESCENT THEN COMMANDED A CLIMB. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THE CREW REPORTED TRAFFIC IN SIGHT AND THAT THE TRAFFIC WAS NOT A FACTOR. ATC NOTIFIED THE CREW THEY WERE ON A 160 HEADING INSTEAD OF THE ASSIGNED 190 HEADING. THE FIRST OFFICER STATED THE HEADING SELECTED ON THE MCP WAS SHOWNING 163 AND HE DID NOT KNOW HOW OR WHEN THE HEADING SELECTED WAS CHANGED. THE THREE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE STATIONED IN THE AFT GALLEY PREPARING THE CABIN FOR LANDING WHEN THE CREW RECEIVED THE RA. TWO OF THE THREE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE INJURED, ONE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. BOTH FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL AFTER LANDING AND WERE RELEASED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.