Boeing 737 incident near Los Angeles, California, September 8, 2009
On September 8, 2009 at about 6:54 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered N670SW, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 142 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the right main landing gear inboard axle due to fatigue cracking as a result of fretting damage in one of the brake mounting bolt holes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2009 · about 6:54 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 142 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 3G7 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N670SW · no longer on the register · serial 23794
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the inboard axle of the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. The crew taxied the airplane off the runway and the passengers and crew deplaned with no injuries. Examination of the axle revealed an area of fatigue cracking emanating from the brake mounting bolt hole at the 12:00 position. The fatigue crack likely initiated in an area where there was scoring and fretting damage to the Sermetal coating. In-service examination of brake mounting bolt torque indicated that over time, the brake mounting bolts may loosen allowing the bolts to spin in the holes.
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
- Aircraft structural failure during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,642 hours in all; 13,274 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 12,406 as pilot in command; 439 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 16, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,640 hours in all; 1,313 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command; 124 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 2, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69,060 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 7, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 139,500 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm 56 Series (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm 56 Series (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines, Co.
The flight
- Departed from: KLAS Las Vegas NV at 5:55 pm
- Destination: KLAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24R, 8,925 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KLAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 136 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.