Boeing 737 accident near Baltimore, Maryland, December 13, 2014
On December 13, 2014 at about 1:30 am local time, a 2005 Boeing 737, registered N7710A, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore Washington Internati airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 145 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertent encounter with birds during approach to land that resulted in substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2014 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Baltimore Washington Internati · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 145 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 76N, built 2005 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N7710A · no longer on the register · serial 32656
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 12, 2014, about 2030 eastern standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 3118, a Boeing 737-76N, registration N7710A, encountered multiple bird strikes while on approach to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Baltimore, Maryland. None of the passengers or crew members were injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 as a domestic passenger flight and originated from San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio, Texas. The captain stated that while descending through about 2,500 feet on approach to land the airplane struck multiple birds. Inspection of the airplane after landing reveled substantial damage to the 178 forward pressure bulkhead and left wing fixed leading edge main rib.
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
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,974 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 636 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,070 hours in all; 1,166 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 5,222 as pilot in command; 720 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 5, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm CFM56-7B (turbofan); 32,607 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm CFM56-7B (turbofan); 32,607 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines, Co.
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 10:35 pm
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 142 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 3, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.