Boeing 737 76N accident near Phoenix, Arizona, February 12, 2017
On February 12, 2017 at about 2:50 am local time, a 2001 Boeing 737 76N, registered N7822A, was involved in an accident during prior to flight near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 143 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the catering agent's lack of situational awareness when exiting the airplane that resulted in a serious injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2017 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 143 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 76N 76N, built 2001 · all 737 76Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7822A · no longer on the register · serial 32596
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On February 11, 2017, about 1950 mountain standard time, Southwest Airlines flight 4152, a Boeing 737-700, N7822A, had a catering agent fall from the airplane while alongside provisioning the airplane. On board were the captain, first officer, three flight attendants and several passengers. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona, to Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Sacramento, California. According to Southwest Airlines, while passengers were boarding the airplane at the gate, a catering agent returned to the airplane to provide a box of peanuts. The agent stopped the provisioning truck short of the airplane creating a gap between the truck and the airplane. After entering the airplane to deliver the peanuts, the agent lost situational awareness and stepped backwards, falling through the gap, and suffered a fractured 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
- Ground handling event during prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,100 hours in all; 13,275 in this make and model; 238 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 13,150 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 24, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,537 hours in all; 3,737 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,885 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 26, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 151
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B22 (turbofan); 43,201 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B22 (turbofan); 40,516 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Destination: SMF Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from PHX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 138 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on May 30, 2017. 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 |
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.