- Date
- August 21, 1997, 14:05 local (18:05 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 74 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N602SWBoeing 737-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970821031919I
- Case key
- 38164
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
in-flight collision with a bird.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While descending into Tampa at an altitude of 4,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the flight struck a 'large bird.' The FO's No. 1 window shattered both panes of the windshield, sending glass into the cockpit, and into the forward galley. The flight landed without further incident. The Captain and FO were taken to the hospital to have glass removed. According to the pilot's statement they saw other birds before the bird strike, and they described the birds that they had seen with wing spans of '4 feet.' At the time of the bird strike, windshield heat was available and 'ON.'
Factual narrative
On August 21, 1997, about 1405 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 737-300, N602SW, operated by Southwest Airlines Inc. (SWA1907), as a Title 14 CFR Part 121, regular scheduled passenger flight, was struck by a bird near Tampa, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane received minor damage. The airline transport captain, and the airline transport first officer (FO) received minor injuries, 3 flight attendants, and 71 passengers were not injured. The flight had originated from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 1305.
While descending into Tampa at an altitude of 4,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the flight struck a "large bird." The FO's No. 1 window shattered both panes of the windshield, sending glass into the cockpit, and into the forward galley. The flight landed without further incident. The captain and FO were taken to the hospital to have glass removed. According to the pilot's statement they saw other birds before the bird strike, and they described the birds that they had seen with wing spans of "4 feet." At the time of the bird strike, windshield heat was available and "ON."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N602SW
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27953
- Engine
- Cfm CFM56, 22,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Soutwest Airlines Inc.
- Registered owner
- Fleet National Bank Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- FLL · Ft Lauderdale, FL
- Destination
- TPA · FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- TPA · Tampa International, runway 36R, 8,300 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 18,000 total · 14,500 in this make and model · 13,000 as pilot in command · 205 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.