# NTSB DCA24LA256: Boeing 737, N226WN, Severn, MD, August 7, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 7, 2024, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Severn, MD · Descent into BWI - Coordinates: 39.175728, -76.668991 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1757&lon=-76.6690&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 142 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: Southwest Airlines, FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 194882 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA24LA256 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194882/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194882 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA256 ## Probable cause A passenger’s failure to comply with crew member instructions to remain seated with seatbelt fastened. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md) - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis Southwest Airlines Flight 3633 (SWA 3633) encountered turbulence while descending through flight level (FL) 190 to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Baltimore, Maryland. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), Manchester, New Hampshire to BWI. The flight crew illuminated the seat belt sign during descent into BWI. A few minutes following the illumination, a passenger stood up and walked to the back of the cabin. The flight attendant told the passenger to return to her seat, and the passenger responded that she would not return to her seat because she needed to stretch. About a minute later, as the aircraft descended through a cloud, the flight encountered short duration moderate turbulence. The standing passenger lost her balance and fell to the floor, breaking her ankle. Two nurses came to assist the passenger on the floor of the galley where they bandaged and splinted her ankle. The nurses returned to their seats for landing. An off-duty flight attendant sat on the floor of the galley with the injured passenger to secure her during landing. EMTs met the flight at the gate and transported the injured passenger from the airplane to a local hospital. The flight crew reported that the there were no reports of turbulence or radar returns that would have indicated turbulence. A post flight review of weather showed no predicted turbulence or evidence of convection near the location and altitude where the encounter occurred. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N226WN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N226WN), registered now, S/N 32494, built 2005 (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 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32494 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 62278 - Engines: CFM INTL. CFM56-7B24 24000 lbs thrust turbo fan; CFM INTL. CFM56-7B24 24000 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, July 23, 2024 - Departed: MHT, Manchester, NH - Destination: BWI, Baltimore, MD - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 23, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 30,000 total, 13,000 in this make and model, 25,000 as pilot in command, 245 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 44; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 23, 2024; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 10,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 3,000 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours - Cabin crew; injuries: none; restraint: 4-point - Cabin crew; injuries: none; restraint: 4-point - Cabin crew; restraint: 4-point - Cabin crew; restraint: lap only ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: BWI ## Other investigations on N226WN (1) 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. - [NTSB OPS26LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OPS26LA036), Apr 8, 2026: Boeing 737-7H4 (N226WN), Orlando, FL, incident, no damage, investigation ongoing ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194882. 5.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17763757&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight and cabin crew statements (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 198 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17714644&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SWA%203633%20Crew%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.