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20130418007659I

Incident · Substantial damage
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FAA incident report · Pilatus PC-12/45 · Memphis, TN · April 18, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 18, 2013 · 17:45 local
Place
Memphis, TN
Airport
Memphis
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
AJAA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N935SP
Reported as
Pilatus PC-12/45
Reported engine
Pratt Whitney PT6
People aboard
5
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
4,689 total3,800 in this make and model180 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On April 18, 2013 seaport airlines flight number 2425, a platus pc 12/45 departed hot springs, ar (khot) enroute to Memphis, TN (kmem). Captain privacy data omitted was PIC with fo privacy data omitted and 3 pax. 2425 was IFR at 15,000 feet. Mem wx was reporting 800 feet ceilings with thunderstorms and light rain in the area. Enroute to mem the flight encountered light to moderate turbulence, with rain 90-100 MN west of Memphis. The flight was cleared to descend to 13,000 ft, during the descent the PIC noticed lighting around them. The pilot heard a loud pop and a brilliant flash of light in front of the aircraft. The aircrafts number 2 generator warning light illuminated. The PIC and fo ran through their checklist to remedy the generator issue. The PIC notified Memphis center, about the lighting strike, and asked ATC for assistance and direct to Memphis. Approach asked the PIC if he would like to declare an emergency, the PIC did declare an emergency. The flight landed as quickly as possible on runway 9. The aircraft taxied to gate without further incident. There were no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 18, 2013 SEAPORT AIRLINES FLIGHT NUMBER 2425, A PLATUS PC 12/45 DEPARTED HOT SPRINGS, AR (KHOT) ENROUTE TO MEMPHIS, TN (KMEM). CAPTAIN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PIC WITH FO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND 3 PAX. 2425 WAS IFR AT 15,000 FEET. MEM WX WAS REPORTING 800 FEET CEILINGS WITH THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHT RAIN IN THE AREA. ENROUTE TO MEM THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE, WITH RAIN 90-100 MN WEST OF MEMPHIS. THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND TO 13,000 FT, DURING THE DESCENT THE PIC NOTICED LIGHTING AROUND THEM. THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP AND A BRILLIANT FLASH OF LIGHT IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFTS NUMBER 2 GENERATOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PIC AND FO RAN THROUGH THEIR CHECKLIST TO REMEDY THE GENERATOR ISSUE. THE PIC NOTIFIED MEMPHIS CENTER, ABOUT THE LIGHTING STRIKE, AND ASKED ATC FOR ASSISTANCE AND DIRECT TO MEMPHIS. APPROACH ASKED THE PIC IF HE WOULD LIKE TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY, THE PIC DID DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE FLIGHT LANDED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE ON RUNWAY 9. THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.