- Date
- November 20, 2014, 20:00 local (Nov 21, 2014, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Dallas, TX
- Injuries
- 179 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-to runway: Ground collisionStanding: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA reports
- 20141120021422A20141120021442A
- Case key
- 90413
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
N263WN captain's failure to maintain a safe clearance from the parked N8314L resulting in a ground collision.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N263WN · Boeing 737 7H4
N8314L · Boeing 737-8H4
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N263WN · Boeing 737 7H4
N8314L · Boeing 737-8H4
Analysis
On November 20, 2014, about 2000 central standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 8751, a Boeing 737-700, registration N263WN, collided with Southwest Airlines flight 301, a Boeing 737-800. N263WN was a functional check flight operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with two flight crew members onboard. N8314L was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121with 177 passengers and crew members onboard. There were no injuries to the occupants of either airplane. According to flight crew statements, N8314L had landed on runway 13L and was holding on taxi lane P, with parking brakes set, because gate 14 was occupied. N263WN pushed off from gate 3 and was cleared to taxi to runway 13L via taxiway B. As the flight approached taxi lane P, the first officer stated "watch the 800." The captain steered the airplane to the right of centerline of taxiway B, and believed his wingtip was clear of the left-hand horizontal stabilizer of N8314L. The captain said he then shifted his attention back to the airplane's taxi path to avoid over-correcting to the right of centerline; however, their left hand wingtip struck the parked N8314L's right hand horizontal stabilizer. N263WN's left hand wingtip received minor damage and N8314L's right hand horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged.
Factual narrative
On November 20, 2014, about 2000 central standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 8751, a Boeing 737-700, registration N263WN, collided with Southwest Airlines flight 301, a Boeing 737-800. N263WN was a functional check flight operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with two flight crew members onboard. N8314L was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121with 177 passengers and crew members onboard. There were no injuries to the occupants of either airplane. According to flight crew statements, N8314L had landed on runway 13L and was holding on taxi lane P, with parking brakes set, because gate 14 was occupied. N263WN pushed off from gate 3 and was cleared to taxi to runway 13L via taxiway B. As the flight approached taxi lane P, the first officer stated "watch the 800." The captain steered the airplane to the right of centerline of taxiway B, and believed his wingtip was clear of the left-hand horizontal stabilizer of N8314L. The captain said he then shifted his attention back to the airplane's taxi path to avoid over-correcting to the right of centerline; however, their left hand wingtip struck the parked N8314L's right hand horizontal stabilizer. N263WN's left hand wingtip received minor damage and N8314L's right hand horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N263WN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 7H4 (7H4)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32520
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 28,010
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B24, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B24, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 19, 2014
- Departed
- DAL · Dallas, TX
- Destination
- DAL · Dallas, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DAL · Dallas
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N8314L
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-8H4 (8H4)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36990
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 8,803
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B27E, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B27E, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 18, 2014
- Departed
- MDW · Chicago, IL
- Destination
- DAL · Dallas, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DAL · Dallas
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N263WN
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Powered-lift
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 10, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 19,000 in this make and model · 20,000 as pilot in command · 124 in the last 90 days · 78 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N263WN
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 7,894 total · 342 in this make and model · 6,569 as pilot in command · 188 in the last 90 days · 59 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N8314L
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 13,500 total · 3,708 in this make and model · 9,796 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N8314L
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 10,175 total · 480 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 160° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- DAL
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.