Boeing 737-3H4 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, October 17, 2012
On October 17, 2012 at about 1:30 am local time, a Boeing 737-3H4, registered N625SW, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Las Vegas, Nevada (Las Vegas airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 85 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight attendant's encounter with an unseen obstruction in the aisle, which resulted in a fall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2012 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 85 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-3H4 · all 737-3H4s on the register
- Registration
- N625SW · registry record · serial 27701
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Southwest Airlines personnel reported that, during cruise flight between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Las Vegas, Nevada, a flight attendant who was conducting beverage service tripped over a passenger's leg that was protruding into the aisle. The flight attendant fell and felt pain in her left knee and foot. She did not resume her flight attendant duties during the flight. After landing she went to a local hospital, where medical personnel determined that she had a fractured metatarsal in her left foot. There were no mechanical difficulties or anomalies with the airplane during the flight, and the event was not related to turbulence.
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
- Cabin safety event during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Positioning/available space › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Illness/injury › Cabin crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,600 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 12, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,250 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 12, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53,645 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 14, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 139,500 lb
- Seats: 149
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge/Cfm CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge/Cfm CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KOKC Oklahoma City OK at 10:14 pm
- Destination: KLAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KLAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 2 | ||
| Flig | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 79 |
Other NTSB records under N625SW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR13CA016.