FTW95LA103

While deplaning passengers, a four-year-old boy exited through the galley servicing door and fell through a nine inch gap between the airplane and the catering truck. The boy's mother had her arms loaded with another child, a carry-on bag, a diaper bag, and her purse. Three of the crew members were helping her when the child fell.

On January 27, 1995, at 1615 central standard time, a Boeing B737-2H4, N71SW, was deplaning passengers at Love Field (DAL), Dallas, Texas when one child passenger was seriously injured. No injuries were suffered by the other 120 passengers or the 5 crew members. The aircraft was at the jetway, engines shut down, door open, and passengers deplaning from a 14 CFR Part 121 flight.

According to witness statements and the Pilot/Operators report the following events led up to the accident. The mother of the boy and her two children were in the deplaning process. The three family members were seated forward in the passenger compartment so that the flight attendants could provide more assistance. The mother got out of her seat with a two and a half year old child, a carry-on bag, a diaper bag, and her purse all in her arms. The two flight attendants moved towards her to help her with her load.

The mother had also asked them about the location of a baby carriage for her younger child. The first officer was standing in the vicinity of the cockpit door. He was attempting to help the mother by pointing out the deplaning door to the baby carriage in the jetway. The provisioner who was servicing the airplane was in the catering hi-lift truck, but his back was turned towards the airplanes' servicing door. During this process, the four year old male child ran out the galley door and fell to the ramp through a nine inch gap between the aircraft and the catering service truck.