Boeing 737 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, December 19, 2023
On December 19, 2023 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 2016 Boeing 737, registered N8514F, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near St. Louis, Missouri. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 107 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A bird strike during climbout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2023 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 107 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 800, built 2016 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N8514F · registry record · serial 36975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Southwest Airlines flight 2217 struck a bird while climbing though 6,000 ft. after departure from the St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), St. Louis, Missouri. According to the flight crew, during the climb they saw a “quick flash” pass diagonally from right to left across the nose of the airplane, followed by a “thud” sound. Which they surmised was a bird that had impacted the nose or belly area of the airplane. After confirming that the flight controls, engines, and pressurization system were operating normally, they decided to continue to their destination. They advised the company of a possible bird strike via an aircraft communicating and reporting system (ACARS) message to coordinate with maintenance for an inspection and damage assessment upon landing. The flight continued normally with no change in the performance or operation of the airplane and landed without further incident. After landing the crew performed a post-flight walk around to search for any evidence of a bird strike, when they discovered impact damage to the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer (see figure 1). Maintenance personnel subsequently discovered a crack, about 12 inches long, in the left horizonal stabilizer lower spar chord. Although the bird impact caused substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer, the flight crew was able to control the airplane and the captain reported that “the flight controls and everything felt normal”. Figure 1 – Photo of the left horizontal stabilizer leading edge showing the location of the bird impact. (Source: Southwest Airlines) A review of pilot reports near the time and location of the event revealed that no prior information about bird activity had been reported.
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 enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,561 hours in all; 9,460 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 3,304 as pilot in command; 987 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2023
- 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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,923 hours in all; 222 in this make and model; 222 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 1,012 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,092 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 13, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 174,700 lb
- Seats: 182
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B27E/F (turbofan); 38,317 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B27E/F (turbofan); 23,197 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 24,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from KSTL
Weather report (METAR): KSTL 192251Z 14009KT 10SM BKN240 04/M08 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP253 T00441078
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 101 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 12, 2024. 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 | Crew Statements | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N8514F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.