Boeing 737 7H4 accident near Oakland, California, August 23, 2015
On August 23, 2015 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2006 Boeing 737 7H4, registered N232WN, was involved in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Oakland, California (Metro Oakland Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 147 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadvertent jet blast, resulting in debris striking ground operations personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2015 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · Metro Oakland Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 147 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 7H4 7H4, built 2006 · all 737 7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N232WN · registry record · serial 32500
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 23, 2015, at Metro Oakland Airport (OAK), Oakland, California, a ground operations specialist received serious injury after being struck by a component of a service golf cart which had been blown by jet blast. Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 1995 had pushed back from gate 26 and was beginning to taxi. Ground operations personnel were servicing another SWA aircraft parked one gate over, at gate 28. One of their golf carts was parked near the rear of aircraft. As SWA1995 began to taxi and turn to exit the alley way, the jet blast struck the roof of the golf cart which separated and hit one of the ground operations personnel. He was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken knee cap.
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
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Towing and taxiing › Taxiing › Incorrect use/operation
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 13,700 hours in all; 10,504 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 151
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KOAK Oakland CA
- Destination: BUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 141 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 8, 2016. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Video File | PDF, 1 page | 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.