What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 5/12/2005 midwest airlines flight 490, a/c N910ME, from Kansas city international airport (kmci) enroute to ronald reagan Washington national airport (kdca) was in climb at approximately 23000 feet and navigating around turbulent weather when the aircraft experienced an altitude loss of 1000 feet in a matter of a few seconds. The flight crew reported that the aircraft was very difficult to control with large pitch variations. The flight crew got the aircraft under control, declared an emergency and landed at Kirksville regional airport (kirk). The cockpit "engine and alert display" (ead) had a "control disconnect" among other indications. A general visual inspection of the aircraft was accomplished and the only noticeable exterior damage was a small scar on the tail cone, which was where a lightning strike had exited the aircraft. The entry of the lightning strike could not be dtermined. An inspection and testing of the aircraft systems and controls found no malfunctions. The NTSB is continuing the investigation of the incident. The NTSB incident number is privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 5/12/2005 MIDWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT 490, A/C N910ME, FROM KANSAS CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KMCI) ENROUTE TO RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT (KDCA) WAS IN CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 23000 FEET AND NAVIGATING AROUND TURBULENT WEATHER WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN ALTITUDE LOSS OF 1000 FEET IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS. THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WITH LARGE PITCH VARIATIONS. THE FLIGHT CREW GOT THE AIRCRAFT UNDER CONTROL, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT KIRKSVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (KIRK). THE COCKPIT "ENGINE AND ALERT DISPLAY" (EAD) HAD A "CONTROL DISCONNECT" AMONG OTHER INDICATIONS. A GENERAL VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ONLY NOTICEABLE EXTERIOR DAMAGE WAS A SMALL SCAR ON THE TAIL CONE, WHICH WAS WHERE A LIGHTNING STRIKE HAD EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENTRY OF THE LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD NOT BE DTERMINED. AN INSPECTION AND TESTING OF THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND CONTROLS FOUND NO MALFUNCTIONS. THE NTSB IS CONTINUING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT. THE NTSB INCIDENT NUMBER IS ^PRIVACY DAT^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.