# NTSB DCA24LA290: Boeing 737, N7734H, Highland Meadows, NM, August 19, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 19, 2024, 13:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Highland Meadows, NM · per 6120 - Coordinates: 34.9, -107.15 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9000&lon=-107.1500&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, 92 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 194995 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA24LA290 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194995/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194995 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA290 ## Probable cause An encounter with convectively induced turbulence during descent. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: convective turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-7BD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1384511), [All aircraft, 145 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/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 737-7BD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1384511), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On August 19, 2024, at 1345 mountain daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 1768 encountered turbulence during descent into Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California to ABQ. As a result of the turbulence, one flight attendant sustained serious injuries. The flight crew reported that the enroute weather was visual meteorological conditions, mostly clear skies, with occasional light chop turbulence. They had been monitoring their electronic flight bag applications for turbulence forecasts, one of which predicted an area of moderate turbulence about 80 miles prior to the top of descent. The captain asked the cabin crew to sit down for about 10 minutes as they transited that area, during which the turbulence was also occasional light chop. During the descent, at an altitude of about 12,000 ft, the aircraft experienced what the captain described as 2-3 seconds of moderate turbulence as the airplane flew through a cirrus cloud. The first officer recalled that it was the only cloud in the vicinity and described the turbulence (as they flew through it) as “light chop”. After landing, the C flight attendant told the captain that during the turbulence, both of her feet left the floor momentarily, and that she landed awkwardly on her feet. The cabin crew left the airplane for their overnight. Shortly after, the B flight attendant returned to the airplane and told the flight deck crew that flight attendant C was having difficulty walking. She was later diagnosed with a fractured left tibia. A post-accident review of weather records revealed that a convective significant meteorological information (SIGMET) was in effect for an area surrounding the accident, warning of either existing or expected thunderstorms. Convective SIGMETS imply the possibility of severe or greater turbulence. There were no airman’s meteorological information (AIRMETS) in effect for the accident area, and no pilot reports (PIREPS) reporting any turbulence within 150 miles of the accident location. Satellite imagery near the time of the accident showed areas of cumulous clouds to the west and southwest of ABQ, in the area of the accident. The convective conditions and presence of cumulous clouds near the accident were consistent with convectively induced turbulence. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7734H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7734H), registered now, S/N 33923, 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 CFM56-7B22 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b22-series) (registry code 13043, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 33923 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 58599 - Engines: CFM INTL CFM56-7B24/3 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, August 16, 2024 - Departed: LAX, Los Angeles, CA - Destination: ABQ, Albuquerque, NM - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 20, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 7,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 3,500 as pilot in command, 170 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 35; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 14, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,554 total, 3,718 in this make and model, 599 as pilot in command, 314 in the last 90 days, 101 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours - Cabin crew; injuries: none - Cabin crew; injuries: none - Cabin crew; injuries: serious; seat: none ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.26 inHg - Turbulence: Moderate - Observed at: KABQ, 28 nm away - METAR: KABQ 191952Z 22008KT 10SM FEW100 33/08 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP144 T03330083 ## Other investigations on N7734H (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 OPS23FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OPS23FA010), Aug 11, 2023: Boeing 737-7BD (N7734H), San Diego, CA, incident, no damage. Probable cause: The local control controller’s poor judgment in duty prioritization which distracted them from monitoring arriving and departing traffic and resulted in a runway incursion and loss of same runway… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 16, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194995. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17594300&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20SWA%201768%20DCA24LA290_print_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Crew statements (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17594220&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Crew%20Statements%20DCA24LA290%20SWA%201768%20LAX-ABQ%20(002)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Weather reports and records (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 535 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17957517&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MFR%20-%20Weather%20Records%20DCA24LA290%20ABQ_v2-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.