- Date
- February 13, 2025, 16:00 local (Feb 14, 2025, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hacienda Heights, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 119 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N939WNBoeing 737-7H4
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 199703
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 airplane’s encounter with moderate turbulence during descent, which resulted in serious injury to a flight attendant.
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 13, 2025, Southwest Airlines flight 3338, operating from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK), Oakland, California, to San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Diego, California, encountered turbulence during descent. One flight attendant (FA) sustained a serious injury. Prior to departure, the flight crew reviewed weather data via the Weather Services International (WSI) and SkyPath applications and noted the possibility of turbulence during climb-out and descent. Flight attendants were briefed to remain seated until further notice. During climb and cruise, the aircraft experienced “light chop.” After the turbulence cleared, the flight crew permitted flight attendants to begin service. The seatbelt sign was subsequently turned off for passengers, and the remainder of the cruise segment was uneventful. According to the flight crew, they continued to monitor the weather and noted no “moderate turbulence plots” along the route, though they did observe occasional “light turbulence plots.” At FL300, prior to descent, the captain reactivated the seatbelt sign and advised passengers to be seated. Shortly thereafter, while descending through scattered clouds between FL300 and FL250, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence. The captain then instructed the FAs to take their seats. According to the FAs, although the flight crew had illuminated the seatbelt sign and briefed passengers via the PA about the impending turbulence, no separate advisory was provided to the cabin crew before the turbulence event. When the turbulence subsided, the flight crew checked on the FAs via the interphone and was informed that one FA had been seriously injured. The captain subsequently requested medical personnel and a manager to meet the flight upon arrival.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N939WN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-7H4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36646
- Built
- 2009
- Airframe hours
- 51,251
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B24/3, 22,800 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B24/3, 22,800 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 7, 2025
- Departed
- OAK · Oakland, CA
- Destination
- SAN · San Diego, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 14, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 11,561 total · 6,452 in this make and model · 11,561 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- June 11, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 12 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KSAN
- METAR
- WSI Turbulence Sigmet 04156 issued 14/0003z MDT (4) Intensity Valid 14/0003z to 14/0300z ALT FL290 to FL370 Detail TYPE TURB Normal ID 04156 VALID 140003Z-140300Z INTST MDT ALT FL290-FL370 MVT ESE 30KT OUTLK NC DISC TURB ASSOC WITH HORIZONTAL WIND SHEAR OVER SOUTHERN CA AREA 65ENE MOD - 55E BLH - 135SE MZB - 85ENE AUDIA - 65ENE MOD -
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.