Boeing 737 7H4 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, August 14, 2014
On August 14, 2014 at about 3:41 pm local time, a 1999 Boeing 737 7H4, registered N758SW, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) not oper) near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The disconnection of baggage carts that subsequently collided with the parked airplane following the tug driving over a dip in the roadway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2014 · about 3:41 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 7H4 7H4, built 1999 · all 737 7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N758SW · no longer on the register · serial 27873
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial air carrier airplane was parked at the boarding gate with the crew onboard. A tug driver from another airline was pulling four baggage carts in the non-movement area adjacent to the boarding gates. A security video showed that the second cart hit a drain cover and detached from the preceding cart. The loose baggage carts then rolled across the ramp and into the side of the airplane, resulting in substantial damage. There were no injuries.
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
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) not oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Ground crew
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 9,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53,349 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 6, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Seats: 151
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 34,043 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 39,624 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.