Boeing 737-200 accident near Lubbock, Texas, December 1, 1991
On December 1, 1991, a Boeing 737-200, registered N73SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
THE IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH GEESE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1991
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · Lubbock
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 107 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-200 · all 737-200s on the register
- Registration
- N73SW · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING AT 190 KNOTS AND APPROXIMATELY 4700 FEET MSL ON A DARK NIGHT, WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF CANADIAN GEESE. ONE GOOSE PENETRATED THE PRESSURE BULKHEAD THROUGH THE RADOME. ANOTHER SPLATTERED DEBRIS OVER THE CAPTAIN'S WINDSHIELD, AND OTHERS DAMAGED FAIRINGS, WING ROOTS, AND KRUEGER FLAPS. THE FLIGHT CREW DID NOT SEE THE GEESE BEFORE IMPACT. THE FIRST OFFICER TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS FROM THE CAPTAIN AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,130 hours in all; 180 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 16,415 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32,985 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 29, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 115,500 lb
- Seats: 130
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9(A) (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 102 |
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.