- Date
- December 11, 2014, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 80 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N481WNBoeing 737 7H4
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 90607
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
an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence during descent.
Findings · 1
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.
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.
Analysis
On December 11, 2014, about 0830 pacific standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 154, a Boeing B737-7H4, N481WN, encountered turbulence during descent into Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, San Jose, California (SJC). The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 as a domestic passenger flight that originated from Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (LAX) to. According to crew statements, the flight crew instructed the flight attendants (FA) to secure the cabin early due to anticipated storms and turbulence around SJC. The "B" FA stated that as she was cleaning the aft galley when the airplane experienced "several jolts" of turbulence. She indicated that, while turning to sit down on the aft jumpseat, she twisted her left foot. The FA further stated that she was able to perform all required duties through the remainder of the flight and thought she only had a mild sprain. She did not inform the flight crew or other FAs of her injury. After a week of continued pain and swelling she visited a podiatrist and was diagnosed with two fractured metatarsals in her left foot.
Factual narrative
On December 11, 2014, about 0830 pacific standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 154, a Boeing B737-7H4, N481WN, encountered turbulence during descent into Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, San Jose, California (SJC). The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 as a domestic passenger flight that originated from Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (LAX) to. According to crew statements, the flight crew instructed the flight attendants (FA) to secure the cabin early due to anticipated storms and turbulence around SJC. The "B" FA stated that as she was cleaning the aft galley when the airplane experienced "several jolts" of turbulence. She indicated that, while turning to sit down on the aft jumpseat, she twisted her left foot. The FA further stated that she was able to perform all required duties through the remainder of the flight and thought she only had a mild sprain. She did not inform the flight crew or other FAs of her injury. After a week of continued pain and swelling she visited a podiatrist and was diagnosed with two fractured metatarsals in her left foot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N481WN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 7H4 (7H4)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29853
- Built
- 2004
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- LAX · Los Angeles, CA
- Destination
- San Jose, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 28, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 21,000 total · 16,000 in this make and model · 17,000 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 2, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 2,300 as pilot in command · 87 in the last 90 days · 87 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 23 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.55 inHg
- Observed at
- SJC, 50 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 641 KB in all.