# NTSB DCA25LA190: Boeing 737-7H4, N461WN, Tahlequah, OK, April 20, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 20, 2025, 09:20 local (14:20 UTC) - Place: Tahlequah, OK - Coordinates: 36, -95 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0000&lon=-95.0000&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, 40 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): 200055 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA25LA190 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200055/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200055 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA190 ## Probable cause The airplane’s encounter with moderate 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 737-7H4, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 145 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Cabin crew; cases with it: [Boeing 737-7H4, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1384404), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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 2782, a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), Dallas, Texas, to Tulsa International Airport (TUL), Tulsa, Oklahoma, encountered moderate turbulence during descent. As a result, a flight attendant sustained a serious injury. According to the flight crew, all flight attendants (FAs) were briefed prior to departure that no cabin service would be conducted due to forecast turbulence. They were instructed to remain seated for the duration of the short 39-minute flight. Following passenger boarding and prior to pushback, the captain made a public address (PA) announcement advising passengers that, due to current and forecasted weather conditions, the FAs would remain seated for safety reasons and cabin service would not be provided. The flight crew reported that before descent, at approximately FL250 (25,000 feet), the captain made a descent PA announcement advising passengers to remain seated due to expected turbulence during the descent into Tulsa. The flight crew reported that they chimed (pressed the ATTEND call button once) the cabin between FL190 and FL180 to indicate final descent. Per Southwest Airlines procedures, the 18,000-foot chime directs flight attendants to secure the cabin for arrival and make passengers final announcements. The policy specifies that if turbulence prevents a compliance check or walkthrough, the flight attendants are required to stop duties and secure themselves in a jumpseat. The flight crew reported the high-low chime occurred earlier than the standard FL180 due to anticipated weather and received the normal confirmation from the cabin crew. The flight crew were set up for the ILS approach to runway 36R and began their descent for the approach. They inquired and received ride reports from Tulsa approach, who indicated light to moderate turbulence and heavy rain reported from a regional jet. During the descent into Tulsa, at approximately 15,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the airplane encountered moderate turbulence while operating in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Despite prior instructions from the flight crew, the FAs in the “C” and “B” position left their jumpseats during final descent. The “C” FA had to use the lavatory and the “B” FA got up to prepare the cabin for landing. FA “B” stated it was an automatic response to prepare the cabin even though she remembered afterwards being briefed to remain seated. FA “B” was standing in the aft galley and making an announcement to the passengers when she experienced two pronounced jolts of turbulence. The turbulence caused the flight attendant to become airborne and subsequently impact the cabin floor with significant force, resulting in serious spinal injuries. The “C” FA notified the flight crew that the “B” FA was injured. The flight crew requested medical assistance before arrival, and emergency personnel met the aircraft at the gate. The injured FA was subsequently transported to a localhospital. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N461WN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N461WN), registered now, S/N 32465, built 2004 (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: 32465 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 69120 - Engines: CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan; CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES 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, April 15, 2025 - Departed: KDAL, Dallas, TX - Destination: KTUL, Tulsa, OK - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Heads up display, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 25, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 15,592 total, 6,224 in this make and model, 4,162 as pilot in command, 155 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 46; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review July 12, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 18,337 total, 5,103 in this make and model, 11,223 as pilot in command, 202 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 9° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Turbulence: Moderate - Observed at: KTUL, 52 nm away ## Other investigations on N461WN (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 LAX04IA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04IA302), Aug 19, 2004: Boeing 737-7H4 (N461WN), Los Angeles, CA, incident, no damage. Probable cause: a loss of separation between Southwest flight 440 and Asiana flight 204 due to the LC2 relief controller's failure to appropriately monitor the operation and recognize a developing traffic conflict.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200055. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19253077&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Form%20Printed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Crew statements (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 236 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19253570&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%202782%20Crew%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. --- 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.