Vertebral Fracture Attributed to Firm Landing

In a bizarre incident that challenges the long-honored aphorism that any landing one can walk away from is a good landing, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant reportedly suffered a compression fracture to one of her thoracic vertebra during a hard landing at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) categorized the landing as firm, and asserts the other 141 individuals aboard the 18-year-old 737-700 went uninjured. Nevertheless, the flight attendant claimed the impact of the landing was such that she thought the aircraft had crashed. The woman states she felt pain in her back and neck which precluded her moving, and was transported to a local hospital where she was diagnosed with the aforementioned fracture.

The aircraft’s highly experienced 55-year-old PIC and 49-year-old SIC told investigators the landing was unremarkable—within the context of SNA’s 5,700-foot runway and maddening noise abatement regulations and procedures.

That one of the cabin crew had been injured was relayed to them only after the aircraft had taxied clear of the active runway.

In a subsequent statement, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines put forth: “We reported the matter to the NTSB in accordance with regulatory requirements and conducted an internal review of the event.”

Asked about the results of Southwest’s internal investigation of the occurrence and whether the plane had been inspected for damage indicative of a hard landing, a spokeswoman for the airline declined to comment.

Flight tracking services show the 737 involved in the incident has since remained in regular service, completing several daily flights.

FMI: www.southwest.com