- Date
- March 20, 2005, 11:48 local (16:48 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 31 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N733KREmbraer EMB-135LR
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Greensboro FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050320005449A
- Case key
- 61171
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An oily smell in the airplane shortly after takeoff for undetermined reasons that resulted in a return to the airport and a passenger injury during the emergency evacuation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the captain, shortly after takeoff there was a foul oil smell spreading throughout the cockpit and cabin. The captain declared an emergency and returned to Raleigh Durham International Airport. The flight was cleared for an approach to and an emergency landing on runway 23R. After the airplane stopped on the runway, the captain ordered an emergency evacuation of the airplane. The flight attendant opened the passenger cabin door and the forward galley door and passengers evacuated the airplane. During the evacuation, one passenger received serious injuries. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical defects. The engine and auxiliary power unit oil levels were checked and found to be satisfactory and contained no sign of leaks. Maintenance personnel checked several areas for offensive odors and signs of bleed air leaks and found no bleed air leaks or odor of oil in the airplane.
Factual narrative
On March 20, 2005, at 1148 eastern standard time, an Embraer EMB-135LR, N733KR, registered to and operated by American Eagle Airlines, Inc., as Flight 650, and flown by the captain, conducted an emergency evacuation following an emergency landing at the Raleigh Durham International Airport in Raleigh, North Carolina. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 and instrument flight rules (IFR). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR Flight Plan was filed. The captain, first officer, flight attendant and 28 passengers were not injured, but one passenger received a serious injury. The fight originated from Raleigh, North Carolina, on March 20, 2005, at about 1130.
According to the captain, shortly after takeoff there was a foul oil smell spreading throughout the cockpit and cabin. The captain declared an emergency and returned to Raleigh Durham International Airport. The flight was cleared for an approach to and an emergency landing on runway 23R. After the airplane stopped on the runway, the captain ordered an emergency evacuation of the airplane. The flight attendant opened the passenger cabin door and the forward galley door and passengers evacuated the airplane. During the evacuation, one passenger received serious injuries.
Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical defects. The engine and auxiliary power units oil levels were checked and found to be satisfactory and contained no sign of leaks. Maintenance personnel checked several areas for offensive odors and signs of bleed air leaks and found no bleed air leaks or odor of oil in the airplane. The airplane was returned to service on March 23, 2005.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733KR
- Reported as
- Embraer EMB-135LR
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 145-368
- Airframe hours
- 8,870
- Engines
- Rolls-Royce AE 3007-A13, 7,200 horsepower, turbo fanRolls-Royce AE 3007-A13, 7,200 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- American Eagle Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 1, 2005 · 411 hours before
- Departed
- RDU · Raleigh, NC
- Destination
- EWR · Newark, NJ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- RDU · Raleigh-Durham Int'l Airport, runway 23, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,896 total · 1,452 in this make and model · 3,401 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N733KR · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.