Boeing 737-7H4 accident near Liberal, Kansas, June 4, 2004
On June 4, 2004 at about 11:17 pm local time, a Boeing 737-7H4, registered N757LV, was involved in an accident near Liberal, Kansas. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 135 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The adverse weather encountered during cruise flight by the flight crew and the flight attendant not being restrained. A contributing factor was the convective activity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2004 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Liberal, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 135 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-7H4 · all 737-7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N757LV · registry record · serial 29850
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The scheduled domestic passenger air carrier flight encountered severe turbulence during cruise flight in an area covered by a convective SIGMET. The air carrier reported the flight crew had passed to the north of convective activity. They saw a patch of blue sky to the right front with no radar returns. They then encountered a large buildup when it appeared in front of the airplane with less than two seconds notice. The airplane also experienced severe turbulence and small hail. Other aircraft in the area reported no conditions greater than light turbulence. Just prior to the encounter, the captain released the flight attendants to resume service. The 'A' flight attendant informed the flight crew that as the flight attendants in the galley removed their seat belts, the 'B' flight attendant became injured when she sustained a broken ankle.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,200 hours in all; 10,800 in this make and model; 195 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,244 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 25, 2004; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 154,000 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CFM-56 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 10:50 pm
- Destination: CMH Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from LBL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 131 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N757LV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.