- Date
- February 11, 2017, 19:50 local (Feb 12, 2017, 02:50 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 143 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N7822ABoeing 737 76N
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: Ground handling event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 94770
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
the catering agent's lack of situational awareness when exiting the airplane that resulted in a serious injury.
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 February 11, 2017, about 1950 mountain standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 4152, a Boeing 737-700, N7822A, had a catering agent fall from the airplane while alongside provisioning the airplane. On board were the captain, first officer, three flight attendants and several passengers. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona, to Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Sacramento, California. According to Southwest Airlines, while passengers were boarding the airplane at the gate, a catering agent returned to the airplane to provide a box of peanuts. The agent stopped the provisioning truck short of the airplane creating a gap between the truck and the airplane. After entering the airplane to deliver the peanuts, the agent lost situational awareness and stepped backwards, falling through the gap, and suffered a fractured rib.
Factual narrative
On February 11, 2017, about 1950 mountain standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 4152, a Boeing 737-700, N7822A, had a catering agent fall from the airplane while alongside provisioning the airplane. On board were the captain, first officer, three flight attendants and several passengers. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona, to Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Sacramento, California. According to Southwest Airlines, while passengers were boarding the airplane at the gate, a catering agent returned to the airplane to provide a box of peanuts. The agent stopped the provisioning truck short of the airplane creating a gap between the truck and the airplane. After entering the airplane to deliver the peanuts, the agent lost situational awareness and stepped backwards, falling through the gap, and suffered a fractured rib.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7822A
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 76N (76N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32596
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 47,885
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B22, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B22, 24,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 26, 2017
- Departed
- PHX · Phoenix, AZ
- Destination
- SMF · Sacramento, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PHX · Phoenix Sky Harbor
- Equipment
- Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic multifunction display, Heads up display, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 24, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 19,100 total · 13,275 in this make and model · 13,150 as pilot in command · 238 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 7,537 total · 3,737 in this make and model · 1,120 as pilot in command · 190 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- PHX
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 30, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 625 KB in all.