# NTSB DCA20CA050: Boeing 737, N7739A, Kansas City, MO, December 22, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 21, 2019, 20:19 local (Dec 22, 2019, 02:19 UTC) - Place: Kansas City, MO - Coordinates: 39.101387, -94.4775 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1014&lon=-94.4775&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 141 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): 100797 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA20CA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100797/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100797 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA20CA050 ## Probable cause a bird strike during descent ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuselage: longerons/stringers (main fus)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035313): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7BD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035313/cases.md?model=1384511), [All aircraft, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035313/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7BD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=1384511), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md) ## Analysis On December 21, 2019, at approximately 2020 central standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 5246, a B737-700, registration N7739A, struck a bird while descending to Kansas City International Airport (KMCI), Kansas City, Missouri. There were no injuries to the 5 crew members and 136 passengers onboard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Ronald Reagan National Airport (KDCA), Arlington, Virginia, to KMCI. According to the flight crew, the airplane was on the downwind leg for arrival on runway 19R at KMCI. As the airplane was descending through 10,000 feet-msl altitude, the flight crew noticed a white object go through the landing lights and heard a loud bang from the from fuselage below their feet. The flight crew checked engine parameters for any anomalies and the airplane for any damage, and none was found. The flight landed uneventfully, and post flight inspection of the airplane revealed evidence of a bird strike and dents in the lower right fuselage skin. Further inspection revealed two internal frames were bent and fractured. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7739A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7739A), registered now, S/N 35110, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 737 (7BD) - Registry model: [Boeing 737-7BD](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-7bd) (registry code 1384511) (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: 35110 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 45252 - Engines: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 24000 lbs thrust turbo fan; Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 24000 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, December 17, 2019 - Departed: DCA, Washington, VA - Destination: MCI, Kansas City, MO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MCI, Kansas City Intl, runway 19, 10,801 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 11, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 16,450 total, 11,950 in this make and model, 8,000 as pilot in command, 124 in the last 90 days, 91 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 38; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 5,088 total, 1,210 in this make and model, 2,993 as pilot in command, 218 in the last 90 days, 62 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 200° at 6 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: KMCI, 20 nm away ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100797. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13629959&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SWA5246%20-%206120_red1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13630499&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SWA5246%20-%20Pilot%20Statements_Redacted-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. --- 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.