Boeing 737 accident near Balneario De Panticosa, Es, March 29, 2026
On March 29, 2026 at about 1:53 pm local time, a 2018 Boeing 737, registered N9HQEP, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Balneario De Panticosa. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 2 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 173 others were unhurt.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2026 · about 1:53 pm local time
- Place
- Balneario De Panticosa, Spain · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 173 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 8AS, built 2018 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N9HQEP · no longer on the register · serial 44834
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm International CFM56-7B26 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm International CFM56-7B26 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Malta Air
The flight
- Departed from: LPPR Porto OF at 12:36 pm
- Destination: LFBP Toulouse OF
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | 2 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 6 | 169 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9HQEP 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.