Boeing 737 N287WN accident near Nashville, Tennessee

Probable cause

flight attendant tripping over a passenger's knee that resulted in hot liquid splashing on the flight attendant.

NTSB analysis

On October 9, 2018, about 2300 EDT, Southwest Airlines 2235, a Boeing 737-700, N287WN, was enroute to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina, when a flight attendant was burned with hot liquid. Of the 93 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received a serious injury. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Nashville International Airport (KBNA), Nashville, Tennessee, to KCLT.

As the flight attendant (FA) was conducting cabin service, she tripped over a passenger's knee, causing her to spill her beverage tray. One of the beverages was a hot tea, and it splashed on her left forearm and on the passenger's shoulder and arm. After landing, paramedics treated both the passenger and flight attendant at the gate, however, both declined to be transported to a local hospital for further examination. The following day the FA was still in pain and went to a local medical clinic where she was diagnosed with a 2nd degree burn to her forearm.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DCA19CA005 for the full record.