Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Fatal Crash

Chicago, Illinois, December 8, 2005 - In the first fatal accident in the airline's nearly 35 year history, Southwest Airlines' Flight 1248, a 737-700, overran the runway at Chicago's Midway Airport, broached a fence and collided with a car on the adjacent roadway, killing one occupant inside the car.

According to a statement from the airline, "The aircraft veered off the runway and through the blast fence at the northwest corner of the runway - stopping at the intersection of Central and 55th Avenues. The weather conditions at the time could be described as one-quarter to one-half mile visibility with snow. The flight, which was on arrival from Baltimore/Washington International Airport, was scheduled to continue on to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City."

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-700 tail number N-471. Southwest took delivery of this aircraft in July 2004. The aircraft was released from the airline's Phoenix maintenance facility on December 7, 2005. There were no indications that the aircraft was experiencing any type of maintenance problems.

The Southwest Airlines Captain on Flight 1248 has been flying for the airline for ten years. The Southwest Airlines First Officer on Flight 1248 has been flying for the airline for more than two years.