Boeing 737-3H4 N601WN

Summary

On 14 September 2004 at about 03:03 local time, a Boeing 737-3H4 registered N601WN was involved in an accident near Los Angeles, California, United States. 47 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 September 2004 at 03:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Los Angeles, California, United States

Nearest airport

Los Angeles International (LAX)

Coordinates

33.9425, -118.4081

Aircraft

Boeing 737-3H4

Registration

N601WN

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salt Lake City → Los Angeles

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA318

1 person was seriously injured.

the flight's encounter with the wake turbulence from a preceding heavy airplane while on approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A flight attendant sustained serious injuries when the Boeing 737 transport category airplane encountered wake turbulence while following behind a Boeing 747 on approach. The injured flight attendant was standing in the aft galley at the time of the event. Air traffic controllers issued a wake turbulence caution to the 737, which was level at 10,000 feet and trailing behind a 747 that was also level at 10,000 feet. According to the accident flight crew, they trailed behind the 747 by 5 miles; however, they still experienced a sudden and violent roll to the left of about 35 degrees. The flight crew righted the airplane and offset their flight path to the north of the 747's flight path. The airplane then landed uneventfully. Review of the aircraft's flight data recorder information revealed the fasten seat belt sign was illuminated and the passengers were all seated at the time of the event. However, the cabin attendants were not yet seated for landing. The Federal Aviation Administration's recommended procedures for avoiding wake turbulence while following another airplane (stay either on or above the preceding aircraft's flight path, upwind, or at least 1,000 feet below) was being followed at the time of the upset.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.