NTSB Factual Report

On July 27, 2012, about 1414 mountain daylight time, Southwest Airlines flight 1871, a Boeing 737-3H4, registration N379SW, experienced a structural failure of the nose gear actuator retract beam when the landing gear was selected down during approach to El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas. There were no injuries to the 71 passengers and 5 crewmembers on board and the airplane sustained minor damage. The flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 on a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS), Las Vegas, Nevada to ELP. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.