# NTSB DCA19CA005: Boeing 737, N287WN, Nashville, TN, October 10, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 9, 2018, 23:00 local (Oct 10, 2018, 03:00 UTC)
- Place: Nashville, TN
- Coordinates: 36.072776, -86.404167
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0728&lon=-86.4042&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 91 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 98459
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA005
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98459/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98459
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA005

## Probable cause

flight attendant tripping over a passenger's knee that resulted in hot liquid splashing on the flight attendant.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Cabin crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On October 9, 2018, about 2300 EDT, Southwest Airlines 2235, a Boeing 737-700, N287WN, was enroute to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina, when a flight attendant was burned with hot liquid. Of the 93 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received a serious injury. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Nashville International Airport (KBNA), Nashville, Tennessee, to KCLT. As the flight attendant (FA) was conducting cabin service, she tripped over a passenger's knee, causing her to spill her beverage tray. One of the beverages was a hot tea, and it splashed on her left forearm and on the passenger's shoulder and arm. After landing, paramedics treated both the passenger and flight attendant at the gate, however, both declined to be transported to a local hospital for further examination. The following day the FA was still in pain and went to a local medical clinic where she was diagnosed with a 2nd degree burn to her forearm.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N287WN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N287WN), registered now, S/N 32537, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Boeing 737 (7H4)
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-7H4](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-7h4) (registry code 1384404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-7B24 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b24-series) (registry code 13044, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32537
- Year built: 2007
- Airframe hours: 39495
- Engines: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 10142 horsepower turbo fan; Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 10142 horsepower turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Southwest Airlines Co
- Registered owner: Southwest Airlines, Co.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: August 16, 2018
- Departed: KBNA, Nashville, TN
- Destination: KCLT, Charlotte, NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Heads up display, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 5, 2017; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 12,000 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command, 56 in the last 90 days, 49.3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 39; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 15, 2018; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 12,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 8,500 as pilot in command, 230 in the last 90 days, 160 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours
- Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model
- Cabin crew; injuries: serious; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model
- Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Night
- Wind: 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observed at: KBNA

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 6, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98459. 593 KB in all.

- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 484 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=7006371&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA005%20updated%20SWA%202235%20NTSB%206120%20Form%20(003)-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9705351&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA005%20SWA%202235%20Employee%20Statements-Rel.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.

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