Boeing 737-3H4 incident near Phoenix, Arizona, March 5, 2001
On March 5, 2001 at about 3:30 am local time, a Boeing 737-3H4, registered N335SW, suffered minor damage in an incident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor Internation airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 119 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgment of distance, which resulted in a runway overrun. A factor in the incident was the failure of the flightcrew to conduct a briefing for the approach to runway eight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2001 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Sky Harbor Internation · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 119 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-3H4 · all 737-3H4s on the register
- Registration
- N335SW · registry record · serial 23939
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was cleared for the approach to runway 7 and the Captain briefed the First Officer for the approach. After getting their gate assignment, the crew requested, and was cleared for, the approach to runway 8. No briefing was conducted for the approach to runway 8, nor was there any discussion about runway length or that runway 8 was a visual runway and would not have lighting and markings associated with an instrument runway. The target airspeed was 135 knots, and the last airspeed callout was 137 knots. The flight data recorder indicated that the approach speed was 137.5 knots. According to information on the Flight Data Recorder, the airplane touched down approximately 2,000 feet past the approach end of the 6,000 foot long runway. Upon landing, the captain deployed the thrust reversers and applied the wheel brakes. When he noticing the end of the runway approaching faster than anticipated, he applied maximum braking and reverse thrust. The aircraft rolled beyond the end of the pavement and came to rest within one airplane length of the departure end of the runway with the empennage over the end of the runway.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,848 hours in all; 6,829 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days; 4,484 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2001
- 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,922 hours in all; 2,717 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days; 1,419 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 14, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42,673 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 4, 2001; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 130,000 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CFM-56 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 2:33 am
- Destination: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PHX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 114 |
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.