Narrative:
Southwest Airlines flight WN3118, a Boeing 737-76N, registration N7710A, encountered multiple bird strikes while on approach to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland. None of the passengers or crew members were injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from San Antonio International Airport, Texas.
The captain stated that while descending through about 2,500 feet on approach to land the airplane struck multiple birds. Inspection of the airplane after landing revealed substantial damage to the 178 forward pressure bulkhead and left wing fixed leading edge main rib.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An inadvertent encounter with birds during approach to land that resulted in substantial damage."
Normal landing
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 12 December 2014 |
| Time: | 20:30 |
| Type: |  Boeing 737-76N (WL) |
| Operator: | Southwest Airlines |
| Registration: | N7710A |
| MSN: | 32656/1671 |
| First flight: | 2005-03-10 (9 years 9 months) |
| Engines: | 2 CFMI CFM56-7B22 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 145 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT/KSAT), United States of America |
| Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | WN3118 |
Southwest Airlines flight WN3118, a Boeing 737-76N, registration N7710A, encountered multiple bird strikes while on approach to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland. None of the passengers or crew members were injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from San Antonio International Airport, Texas.
The captain stated that while descending through about 2,500 feet on approach to land the airplane struck multiple birds. Inspection of the airplane after landing revealed substantial damage to the 178 forward pressure bulkhead and left wing fixed leading edge main rib.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An inadvertent encounter with birds during approach to land that resulted in substantial damage."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Bird strikeNormal landing
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from San Antonio International Airport, TX to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD as the crow flies is 2248 km (1405 miles).
Distance from San Antonio International Airport, TX to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD as the crow flies is 2248 km (1405 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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