Boeing 737-300

Single-aisle airliner family

Disasters & Accidents
Boeing 737-300
Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

The Boeing 737 Classic is a series of narrow-body airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the second generation of the Boeing 737 series of aircraft.

Date

May 28, 1968

Location

Mumbai, India

Key people

Captain Abdul Rohim

Outcome

On May 28, 1968, Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892, a Convair 990 Coronado aircraft, registration PK-GVB, crashed into a paddy field near Nala Sopara...

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed analysis of the Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892 crash, including the causes of the accident and the subsequent improvements made to air traffic...

What was Boeing 737-300?

The Boeing 737 Classic is a series of narrow-body airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the second generation of the Boeing 737 series of aircraft. Development began in 1979 and the first variant, the 737-300, first flew in February 1984 and entered service that December. The stretched 737-400 first flew in February 1988 and entered service later that year. The shortest variant, the 737-500, first flew in June 1989 and entered service in 1990. Compared to the original series, the classic series was re-engined with the CFM56, a high-bypass turbofan, for better fuel economy and had upgraded avionics. With a 133,500–150,000 lb (60.6–68.0 t) MTOW, it has a range of 2,060 to 2,375 nautical miles [nmi] (3,815 to 4,398 km; 2,371 to 2,733 mi).

The initial 737-300 (foreground) is 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) longer than the 737-200 (background) and is re-engined with wider and more efficient CFM56 turbofans
The initial 737-300 (foreground) is 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) longer than the 737-200 (background) and is re-engined with wider and more efficient CFM56 turbofans
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Background and consequences

At 102 feet (31 m) the -500 is similar in length to the original 737-200 and can fly 110 to 132 passengers. The 110-foot-long (34 m) -300 can seat 126 to 149 passengers while the 120-foot-long (37 m) -400 accommodates 147 to 168 seats. It competed with the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series, then with the Airbus A320 family which prompted Boeing to update its offer with the 737 Next Generation, thus designating the -300/400/500 variants as the 737 Classic. In total, 1,988 aircraft were delivered from 1984 until production ended in the year 2000: 1,113 -300s, 486 -400s and 389 -500s.

Engine inlet of a CFM56-3 engine on a Boeing 737-400 series showing the non-circular design
Engine inlet of a CFM56-3 engine on a Boeing 737-400 series showing the non-circular design
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Related on thisDay

Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892 crashes near Nala Sopara in India, killing 30 — May 28, 1968

30 killed as Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892 crashes near Nala Sopara in 1968, in Mumbai, India, after takeoff, resulting in a tragic loss of life.

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892 crashes near Nala Sopara in India, killing 30 — May 28, 1968Wikipedia source
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MLA

“Boeing 737-300.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/boeing-737-300/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Boeing 737-300. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/boeing-737-300/

Chicago

“Boeing 737-300.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/boeing-737-300/.

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