20260128000409A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Airbus A330-343 · Covington, KY · January 28, 2026

Date: January 28, 2026 · 15:13 local
Place: Covington, KY
Airport: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky I
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: ASAA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5827K
NTSB investigation: NTSBDCA26LA106
Reported as: Airbus A330-343
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce RB211 772B-60
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,000 total

N5827KRegistered now · Airbus A330-343S/N 1081 · Built 2010 Airframe modelAirbus A330-343 Engine modelRolls-Royce RB211 772B-60Turbo-jet

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.

privacy data omitted, An Airbus A330-343 (P2F), struck multiple birds on takeoff from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport, KY (cvg), resulting in a left engine fire and damage to the wing structure. The aircraft returned to airport and landed safely, nine minutes after takeoff.

As the FAA filed it

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AN AIRBUS A330-343 (P2F), STRUCK MULTIPLE BIRDS ON TAKEOFF FROM CINCINNATI/NORTHERN KENTUCKY AIRPORT, KY (CVG), RESULTING IN A LEFT ENGINE FIRE AND DAMAGE TO THE WING STRUCTURE. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO AIRPORT AND LANDED SAFELY, NINE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DCA26LA106Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportHebron, KYOn January 28, 2026, at 1505 eastern standard time, Alaska Airlines flight 2616, an Airbus 330-343, N5827K, powered by two Rolls Royce RB211 engines, struck birds during initial climb after takeoff from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport…Jan 28, 2026 · Substantial damage