Boeing 737-300 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, April 10, 2004
On April 10, 2004 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Boeing 737-300, registered N662SW, was involved in an accident near St. Louis, Missouri. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 108 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent encounter with turbulence which resulted in the injury to the flight attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2004 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 108 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-300 · all 737-300s on the register
- Registration
- N662SW · no longer on the register · serial 23255
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial airline flight encountered turbulence which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant. According to a report from the operator, the turbulence was due to a storm front along the route of flight. The airplane was not damaged. The airplane had been deviating in an attempt to minimize the turbulence encountered. In a written report, the pilot stated that while en route the airplane was in turbulence. He stated that the seat belt sign was on and as the turbulence began to intensify he made a public address announcement for the flight attendants to be seated. He stated that he was then informed that one of the flight attendants had been injured. A written report from the flight attendants indicated that the fasten seat belt sign was not on at the time of the injury.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 18,000 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58,979 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 2004; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 139,000 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CFM-56 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX
- Destination: STL St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 6 | ||
| Passengers | 102 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.