Boeing 737 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, March 28, 2019
On March 28, 2019, a 2006 Boeing 737, registered N249WN, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International Airpor airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2019
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 7H4, built 2006 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N249WN · registry record · serial 34951
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 27, 2019 at 7:25pm central daylight time (EDT), a Boeing 737-700, N249WN, operated by Southwest Airlines as flight 975 struck a bird with the left horizontal stabilizer while descending through 2,500 feet on approach to the Berry-Nashville International Airport (KBNA), Nashville, Tennessee. The airplane landed at KBNA with no further incident. There were no injuries and the airplane was substantial damaged. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 from the Pittsburgh International Airport (KPIT), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to KBNA. Damage to the airplane included a 12 inch crack in the forward spar, requiring replacement of the horizontal stabilizer. Bird residue was sent to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History laboratory, and identified as a Great Blue Heron.
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) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,718 hours in all; 15,630 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 14,771 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,988 hours in all; 1,317 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 1,128 as pilot in command; 828 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44,455 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, February 19, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 151
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KPIT Pittsburgh PA at 11:25 pm
- Destination: KBNA Nashville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KBNA, 10 miles away
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on August 26, 2019. 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 |
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.