# NTSB DCA15CA176: Boeing 737 7H4, N232WN, Oakland, CA, August 23, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 23, 2015, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Oakland, CA - Coordinates: 37.721668, -122.221664 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7217&lon=-122.2217&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-to runway: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 147 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 91844 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA15CA176 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91844/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91844 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA15CA176 ## Probable cause inadvertent jet blast, resulting in debris striking ground operations personnel. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Towing and taxiing: taxiing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010920): Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010920/cases.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010920/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md) ## Analysis On August 23, 2015, at Metro Oakland Airport (OAK), Oakland, California, a ground operations specialist received serious injury after being struck by a component of a service golf cart which had been blown by jet blast. Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 1995 had pushed back from gate 26 and was beginning to taxi. Ground operations personnel were servicing another SWA aircraft parked one gate over, at gate 28. One of their golf carts was parked near the rear of aircraft. As SWA1995 began to taxi and turn to exit the alley way, the jet blast struck the roof of the golf cart which separated and hit one of the ground operations personnel. He was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken knee cap. ## Factual narrative On August 23, 2015, at Metro Oakland Airport (OAK), Oakland, California, a ground operations specialist received serious injury after being struck by a component of a service golf cart which had been blown by jet blast. Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 1995 had pushed back from gate 26 and was beginning to taxi. Ground operations personnel were servicing another SWA aircraft parked one gate over, at gate 28. One of their golf carts was parked near the rear of aircraft. As SWA1995 began to taxi and turn to exit the alley way, the jet blast struck the roof of the golf cart which separated and hit one of the ground operations personnel. He was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken knee cap. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N232WN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N232WN), registered now, S/N 32500, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 737 7H4 (7H4) - Registry model: [Boeing 737-7H4](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-7h4) (registry code 1384404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32500 - Year built: 2006 - Engines: CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan; CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Southwest Airlines - Registered owner: Southwest Airlines Co - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: KOAK, Oakland, CA - Destination: BUR, BURBANK, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KOAK, Metro Oakland Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Co-pilot; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 20,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 1; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,700 total, 10,504 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91844. 688 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 603 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438706&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Video File (item 2, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438707&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Video%20File-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.