Boeing 737 accident near Albany, New York, October 15, 2018
On October 15, 2018 at about 5:10 pm local time, a 1999 Boeing 737, registered N7816B, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Albany, New York. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 142 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with convective turbulence that resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2018 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Albany, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 142 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 7L9, built 1999 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N7816B · no longer on the register · serial 28009
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 15, 2018, about 1310 eastern daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 2437, a Boeing 737-7L9, N7816B, encountered turbulence while descending through about FL280. As a result of the turbulence, one flight attendant received serious injuries. The remaining passengers and crew were not injured, and the airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW), Chicago, Illinois, to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (KMHT), Manchester, New Hampshire. The flight crew stated that prior to encountering turbulence the seat belt sign had been illuminated, and the flight attendants had been asked to be seated since turbulence was anticipated. The flight crew stated that upon entering a “benign-looking” cloud formation the airplane encountered continuous moderate to heavy turbulence for about 20 to 30 seconds. The flight attendants (FA) stated that soon after receiving the call to be seated, the flight encountered turbulence and the FA in the aft galley was thrown against the door and cabinets, and then onto the floor, injuring her right foot. After landing the FA was transported to a local hospital and diagnosed with a broken right 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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,270 hours in all; 1,865 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,360 as pilot in command; 1,124 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 7, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58,134 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 5, 2018
- 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: MDW Chicago IL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: MHT Manchester NH
- 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 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 138 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.