Boeing 737-700 accident near Hastings, Nebraska, September 17, 2006
On September 17, 2006 at about 1:30 am local time, a Boeing 737-700, registered N793SA, was involved in an accident near Hastings, Nebraska. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 140 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's in flight encounter with thunderstorm related turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2006 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Hastings, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 140 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-700 · all 737-700s on the register
- Registration
- N793SA · no longer on the register · serial 27888
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight at 37,000 feet, and was approaching an area of thunderstorm activity. The seat belt sign was on, and the flight attendants were asked to return to their seats. The flight crew responded to a traffic collision alert by descending, and making a right turn, and then attempted to fly the best route through the weather; however, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence for about 30 seconds, and two flight attendants were injured, one seriously. The flight continued to its destination airport, and landed without further incident. Data from the airplane's flight data recorder indicated that the upset was consistent with the airplane's encounter with turbulence.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 24,440 hours in all; 9,537 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 14,361 as pilot in command; 836 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,540 hours in all; 256 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 2,188 as pilot in command; 1,137 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,363 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 139,000 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CFM-56-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CFM-56-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 11:50 pm
- Destination: ALB Albany NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Passengers | 137 |
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.
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.