# NTSB DFW05LA112: Boeing 737-700, N727SW, Little Rock, AR, April 29, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 29, 2005, 07:31 local (12:31 UTC) - Place: Little Rock, AR - Coordinates: 35.367221, -91.202224 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3672&lon=-91.2022&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 19 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Little Rock, Arkansas - NTSB case key (mKey): 61386 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW05LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61386/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW05LA112 ## Probable cause An encounter with moderate turbulence during cruise flight. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - weather condition - turbulence (cause) ## Analysis During cruise flight at FL410, the scheduled domestic passenger flight encountered moderate turbulence. The passengers were seated and the fasten seatbelt sign was illuminated. The flight attendants were instructed to take their seats "if it gets bumpy." During the turbulence encounter, a flight attendant was injured by a beverage cart. The flight continued to its intended destination and landed uneventfully. ## Factual narrative On April 29, 2005, approximately 0731 central daylight time, a twin-turbofan Boeing 737-700 airplane, N727SW, operating as Southwest Airlines flight number 2440, was undamaged during an in-flight encounter with turbulence while in cruise flight at Flight Level 410 (41,000 feet mean seal level) near Little Rock, Arkansas. The airline transport rated captain, airline transport rated first officer, two of the three flight attendants, and 15 passengers were not injured. One flight attendant was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Southwest Airlines, of Dallas, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the scheduled passenger flight operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. The cross-country flight originated from the William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), near Houston, Texas, at 0637 and was destined for the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL), near St. Louis, Missouri, where the flight landed without further incident. The 12,500-hour captain reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that while in cruise flight at FL410 (41,000 feet msl), there was no turbulence and the flight was above an overcast cloud layer for most of the flight. The captain stated that visibility was limited at times due to a thin layer of haze. As a precaution, the captain kept the fasten seat belt sign on and instructed the flight attendants to take their seats if the flight became "bumpy." Several minutes later, the flight encountered a thin layer of haze. Upon exiting the layer of haze, the flight crew noticed "an unusual cloud formation" directly ahead. The captain initiated a right turn as the flight encountered "two abrupt bumps and a gain in air speed." The captain added that the encounter lasted about 15-20 seconds, which was light to moderate turbulence. Following the turbulence upset, the captain was notified by a cabin crew member that a flight attendant sustained a leg injury in the aft galley, and would need medical attention upon arrival at STL. A staff meteorologist for the Safety Board reviewed composite reflectivity images for the immediate area of the turbulence encounter. The satellite imagery at 1215Z indicated radiative cloud top temperature of 218.3 degrees Kelvin (K) or -54.86 degrees Celsius (C). The winds aloft at FL410 were reported from 280 degrees at 127 knots. Convective significant meteorological information (SIGMETs) were issued from 0955Z through 1255Z for thunderstorm activity. Convective SIGMET 18C issued at 1155Z was current for a portion of Arkansas and Oklahoma, enclosed from 10ENE TUL-40WSW ARG-20ENE LIT-20NE MLC-10ENE TUL. For an intensifying area of severe embedded thunderstorms moving from 260 degrees at 35 knots, with tops to 40,000 feet. Hail to 1 1/2 inches and wind gusts to 60 knots were possible with these storms. Severe to extreme turbulence, lightning, microburst, severe icing, and localized IFR conditions was implied with the issuance of the advisory. The provided coordinates of the turbulence upset was located outside and immediately east of the convective SIGMET in affect. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N727SW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N727SW-2024-09-18), registration cancelled 2024-09-18, S/N 27859, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 737-700 - 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: 27859 - Airframe hours: 22350 - Engines: CFM 56-7B24 24000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Southwest Airlines Company, doing business as Southwest Airlines Company - Registered owner: Southwest Airlines Company - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 1, 2005, 11 hours before - Departed: HOU, Houston, TX - Destination: STL, St. Louis, MO - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 12,500 total, 8,000 in this make and model, 4,700 as pilot in command, 73 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 49; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2004; seat: right; flight hours: 3,260 total, 685 in this make and model, 1,710 as pilot in command, 135 in the last 90 days, 52 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 7 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.77 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050429026849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050429026849A), Apr 29, 2005: Boeing 7377H4, Little Rock, AR. (-23) The flight was enroute from houston, TX, to st. louis, MO, when turbulence was encountered east of Little Rock, AR, at FL410. A flight attendant received… 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.