- Date
- August 10, 2014, 06:05 local (10:05 UTC)
- Place
- Harrisburg, PA
- Injuries
- 20 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N815EXDehavilland DHC 8 102
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 9, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA report
- 20140810014459A
- Case key
- 89887
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
the airplanes collision with geese during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
On August 10, 2014 at about 0605 eastern daylight time, a deHavilland DHC-8-100, N815EX, operated by Piedmont Airlines d.b.a. USAirways Express flight 4206, struck a flock of geese during the takeoff roll from Middletown Harrisburg International Airport (KMDT), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew and the airplane sustained damage. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight between KMDT and Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The captain was the pilot flying and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. According to the flight crew, about 15 seconds into the takeoff roll and prior to V1, the captain observed a large group of geese flying from right to left in front of the airplane. He immediately initiated a rejected takeoff as the airplane impacted multiple geese on the front windshield and the right engine propeller, which caused a severe vibration. The flight crew shut down the right engine as the airplane slowed and returned to the gate. Examination of the airplane indicated damage to the right propeller, a broken passenger window, and damage to the fuselage skin and stringers near the broken window.
Factual narrative
On August 10, 2014 at about 0605 eastern daylight time, a deHavilland DHC-8-100, N815EX, operated by Piedmont Airlines d.b.a. USAirways Express flight 4206, struck a flock of geese during the takeoff roll from Middletown Harrisburg International Airport (KMDT), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew and the airplane sustained damage. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight between KMDT and Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The captain was the pilot flying and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. According to the flight crew, about 15 seconds into the takeoff roll and prior to V1, the captain observed a large group of geese flying from right to left in front of the airplane. He immediately initiated a rejected takeoff as the airplane impacted multiple geese on the front windshield and the right engine propeller, which caused a severe vibration. The flight crew shut down the right engine as the airplane slowed and returned to the gate. Examination of the airplane indicated damage to the right propeller, a broken passenger window, and damage to the fuselage skin and stringers near the broken window.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N815EX
- Reported as
- Dehavilland DHC 8 102 (103)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 321
- Built
- 1992
- Engines
- Pratt and Whitney PW120A, 2,000 horsepower, turbo propPratt and Whitney PW120A, 2,000 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Piedmont Airlines Inc, doing business as US Airways Express
- Registered owner
- Piedmont Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 9, 2014 · 53,834 hours before
- Departed
- MDT · Harrisburg, PA
- Destination
- PHL · Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MDT · Harrisburg Intl, runway 13, 10,002 × 200 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Data recorder, Auto-pilot
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 36,000 total · 18,000 in this make and model · 205 in the last 90 days · 67 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 4,022 total · 3,662 in this make and model · 223 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KMDT
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 749 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.