# NTSB DCA23LA067: Airbus A320, N330NW, Red Oak, IA, November 20, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 19, 2022, 20:51 local (Nov 20, 2022, 02:51 UTC)
- Place: Red Oak, IA · from 6120
- Coordinates: 40.927677, -95.336266 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9277&lon=-95.3363&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 153 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Parties: FAA/AVP100
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106329
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA23LA067
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106329/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106329
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA067

## Probable cause

Multiple bird strikes during descent.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A320-211, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=3930320), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Availability of related info; cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A320-211, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=3930320), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Ability to respond/compensate; cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A320-211, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=3930320), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-descent: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A320-211, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=3930320), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Analysis

Delta Air Lines flight 2295 struck several birds while descending through 13,000 feet on approach to Eppley Airfield (OMA), Omaha, Nebraska. The bird strike occurred about 34 miles southeast of the airport, near Red Oak, Iowa, at an airspeed of 290 knots. The crew continued the approach and made a normal landing. Weather at the time of the event was night visual conditions. Birds struck the airplane and punctured the fuselage skin in two locations on the left side; one above the cockpit windows and another near the pitot tube (see figure 1). Another bird punctured the skin on the right side of the fuselage below the cockpit window. Damage was evident to the stringers and frames at each location, and the size of the punctures in total exceeded the size of the outflow valve. The damage adversely affected the structural strength and pressurization performance and required a major repair. Figure 1. Photo of two of the bird strikes on the left side of the airplane, indicated by blue circles. (Source: Delta Air Lines) The flight crew described the noise as the strike occurred as being like an “explosion.” The cabin depressurized, and the cockpit door blew open. The captain reported that the wind noise was “extreme” which made communication difficult. Soon after the strike the airplane descended though 10,000 ft and the cabin altitude matched the airplane altitude at about 9,500 ft. The crew declared an emergency, continued the approach to OMA, and landed uneventfully. The species of birds was identified as either Snow Goose or Ross’s Goose (DNA testing could not discriminate between the two) by the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Laboratory. According to the FAA, there were no pilot reports of bird activity in the area near the time of the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N330NW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N330NW-2025-10-08), registration cancelled 2025-10-08, S/N 307, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A320 (211)
- Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A320-211](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a320-211) (registry code 3930320) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 307
- Year built: 1992
- Airframe hours: 84273
- Engines: CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan; CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 17, 2022
- Departed: ATL, Atlanta, GA
- Destination: OMA, Omaha, NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review April 10, 2022; seat: left; flight hours: 16,335 total, 1,779 in this make and model, 172 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review May 2, 2022; seat: right; flight hours: 660 total, 316 in this make and model, 163 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observed at: KOMA, 34 nm away
- METAR: METAR KOMA 200252Z 17003KT 10SM CLR M07/M13 A3037 RMK AO2 SLP298 T10721133 50000=

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106329. 3.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16232202&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-01%20Form%206120_print_Redacted_2-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statements (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15810476&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02%20Flight_Crew_Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - bird strike report and negative pireps (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 195 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15810655&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04-01%20%20MFR%20-%20Birdstrike_report_and_pireps-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 5 photos, 428 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16232212&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-01-%20photo%20array_DCA23LA067_2-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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