Boeing 737 7H4 accident near San Jose, California, December 11, 2014
On December 11, 2014 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2004 Boeing 737 7H4, registered N481WN, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near San Jose, California. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 80 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence during descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2014 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 80 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 7H4 7H4, built 2004 · all 737 7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N481WN · registry record · serial 29853
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 11, 2014, about 0830 pacific standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 154, a Boeing B737-7H4, N481WN, encountered turbulence during descent into Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, San Jose, California (SJC). The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 as a domestic passenger flight that originated from Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (LAX) to. According to crew statements, the flight crew instructed the flight attendants (FA) to secure the cabin early due to anticipated storms and turbulence around SJC. The "B" FA stated that as she was cleaning the aft galley when the airplane experienced "several jolts" of turbulence. She indicated that, while turning to sit down on the aft jumpseat, she twisted her left foot. The FA further stated that she was able to perform all required duties through the remainder of the flight and thought she only had a mild sprain. She did not inform the flight crew or other FAs of her injury. After a week of continued pain and swelling she visited a podiatrist and was diagnosed with two fractured metatarsals in her left foot.
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
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 16,000 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 28, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 87 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 2, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 50,147 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 51,064 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 3:47 pm
- Destination: San Jose CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 23 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 2 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 76 |
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.