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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

September 8, 1993 · Boeing 737-300 · N350SW

St. Louis, MO

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Incident
Date
September 8, 1993
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (144 uninjured)
Location
St. Louis, MO
Aircraft
Boeing 737-300
Tail Number
N350SW
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Minor
NTSB Number
CHI93IA354

The airplane was on final approach when the tower controller requested a go-around for traffic separation. The flight crew executed the go-around. The first officer, who was flying the airplane remarked the airplane was not flying right. Cabin attendants reported a problem with the left flaps. An off-duty captain riding in the cockpit investigated and reported the left outboard foreflap was broken and hanging loose. The Captain took control and made an uneventful landing. Examination of the failed flap assembly found that the nuts were missing on the two aft bolts which hold the inboard sequencing carriage to the foreflap attach lug, and the two forward bolts were fractured.

NTSB Probable Cause

a failure of the left outboard foreflap due to the loss of the bolts that hold the inboard sequencing carriage to the foreflap attach lug.

Full Narrative

On September 8, 1993, at 1740 central daylight time, a Boeing 737-300, N350SW, operated by Southwest Airlines, Inc., as revenue flight 282, sustained an in-flight structural failure of the left outboard flap assembly, while on approach to the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, St. Louis, Missouri. There were no injuries to the 5 crewmembers or 139 passengers aboard the airplane. The flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 121, originated at Kansas City, Missouri. An IFR flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The airplane was on final approach to runway 12R when the controller requested a go-around for traffic separation. The first officer was the pilot flying. The first officer stated in an interview the go-around was normal until he called for flaps 1 about 500 feet. He said the airplane had a rolling tendency to the left, and required a lot of right aileron. The cockpit crew received notification from the cabin attendants that there was a problem with the flaps on the left side. The Captain sent a Southwest Airlines Captain who was riding in the cockpit observers seat to the cabin to investigate. He reported pieces of the outboard flap were hanging loose. The Captain took control of the airplane and extended the flaps to 5. He made an uneventful landing and taxied to the gate. Inspection of the airplane was conducted by Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors who reported the left outboard foreflap was broken into two pieces and had damaged two sections of spoiler. The two forward bolts which hold the inboard sequencing carriage to the foreflap attach lug were fractured, and the two aft bolts were missing their nuts. The left outboard flap assembly was removed and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. A copy of the report of the examination of the flap assembly is appended.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time17:40 CDT
Nearest AirportLambert-St. Louis Intl (0nm)
Runway12R
Runway Length9003 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBoeing 737-300
Tail NumberN350SW
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageMinor
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsGe · CFM 56-3 · Turbofan · 20000
Seats139

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (144 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured144
Total144
Crew 1First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind90° @ 3 kt
Visibility12 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 6500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 54
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time21:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data