Boeing 737-7H4 accident near Pawnee, Nebraska, February 23, 2012
On February 23, 2012 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Boeing 737-7H4, registered N915WN, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pawnee, Nebraska. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 138 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's encounter with moderate turbulence during cruise flight, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2012 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pawnee, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 138 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-7H4 · all 737-7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N915WN · registry record · serial 36888
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had been cruising in smooth air conditions for over 30 minutes when it suddenly encountered 2 to 3 seconds of moderate turbulence. The momentary altitude and roll deviation of the airplane, which was corrected by the autopilot, threw one of the flight attendants against the airplane structure, which resulted in a serious injury to her hand. The flight crew had not been given any turbulence advisories by air route traffic controllers, and the flight crew had not overheard any airplanes in the area reporting moderate turbulence. Immediately after the encounter, the airplane continued in smooth air conditions.
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
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Illness/injury › Cabin crew
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,500 hours in all; 20,550 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 2, 2011
- 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: 9,887 hours in all; 6,010 in this make and model; 208 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,977 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 17, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,201 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 9, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Departed from: KMDW Chicago IL at 7:35 pm
- Destination: KLAX Las Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 19 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.43 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 135 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR12LA119.