Casualties unknown

Approach and Runway Impact During IFR Approach in Patchy Fog (N7345F)

North Platte, NE, US

On August 13, 1982, a Boeing 737-291 (registration N7345F) was involved in an aviation accident near North Platte, NE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 737-291
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During an IFR approach, the first officer hand-flew the aircraft. The crew lost visual contact and descended into patchy fog, impacting the ground right of the runway, striking edge lights, then returning to the runway and stopping.

Crew Actions

During the instrument flight rules (IFR) approach, the first officer was manually piloting the aircraft, as reported by the pilot.

Weather Conditions

Both flight crew members observed the approach and runway lights and verified a cloud ceiling of 300 feet and visibility of three-quarters of a mile.

Approach Sequence

The approach continued and the aircraft descended to 200 feet above ground level (AGL). At that point, the aircraft was leveled off momentarily due to a temporary loss of visual contact. After leveling, the descent resumed. The aircraft then entered patchy fog, which obscured the runway.

Impact and Stop

The crew stated they were considering a go-around when the aircraft impacted the ground on the right side of the runway. The aircraft subsequently collided with runway edge lights before being guided back onto the runway and coming to a stop.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20020917X03898. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.