# NTSB NYC02IA076: Embraer EMB-145LR, N290SK, Jefferson, NY, March 27, 2002 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: March 26, 2002, 22:10 local (Mar 27, 2002, 03:10 UTC) - Place: Jefferson, NY - Coordinates: 42.477779, -74.668891 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4778&lon=-74.6689&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 17 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-03 - ADs cited in the narratives: [AD 2001-06-03](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2001-06-03) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 54412 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC02IA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54412/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54412 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02IA076 ## Probable cause An in-flight encounter with lightning, which severed two of the four elevator cables. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, descent - weather condition - lightning (cause) ## Analysis The flight was on approach to the airport, flying through rain and snow, and descending through 13,000 feet. No thunderstorm cells were depicted on the weather radar, but the airplane was noticeable struck by lightning. The strike severed two of the four elevator cables, however, the flight landed uneventfully. ## Factual narrative On March 26, 2002, about 2210 eastern standard time, an Embraer EMB-145LR, N290SK, sustained minor damage during a lightning strike, while descending near Jefferson, New York. The airplane was operated by Chautauqua Airlines Inc. as America West Express flight 5058. There were no injuries to the 3 crewmembers and 14 passengers. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated from Port Columbus International Airport (CMH), Columbus, Ohio; destined for Bradley International Airport (BDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the scheduled air carrier flight conducted under 14 CFR part 121. The captain stated that the airplane was between 13,000 feet msl and 11,000 feet msl near the SWEDE intersection, on approach to BDL. The airplane was flying through rain and snow, and the weather radar was operating. No cells were depicted on the weather radar, and the flightcrew had not observed any lightning for 20 minutes. The airplane was then noticeably struck by lighting. However, all instruments appeared normal, no caution messages were noted, and the autopilot remained on. The flight continued uneventfully to BDL, but during the landing, "the airplane took more than usual force to flare for landing." Additionally, during the rollout, the gust lock could not be engaged and the elevator was stuck in a "middle position." A Safety Board meteorologist reviewed digital flight data recorder (DFDR) and weather data. According to the DFDR data, the airplane was traveling in an easterly direction, about 18 nautical miles south of Albany International Airport, Albany, New York, at 13,000 feet msl, at the estimated time of the lightning strike. Review of weather radar data for 2206 and 2212, revealed Level 2 and Level 3 intensity echoes in the vicinity of the airplane, and Level 5 intensity echoes were noted at 15 to 20 nautical miles north and west of the airplane. Additionally, review of lightning data for the period of 2000 to 2220 revealed four cloud to ground strikes within a 15 nautical mile radius of the airplane's estimated position when it was struck. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed a "baseball size" hole in the left elevator. He also observed that two of the four elevator control cables had severed. Specifically, both boding jumpers at the horizontal-to-vertical stabilizer were severed, the left lower elevator cable had severed near the rear sector, and the right upper elevator cable near had separated near the rear sector. Embraer issued Service Bulletin (SB) 145-55-0028, dated May 20, 2002. The SB required the installation of a protective cover to avoid the possibility of boding jumpers contacting the elevator control cables at the rear sectors if they were damaged by a lightning strike, in addition to the introduction of improved and rerouted boding jumpers. The Brazilian Centro Tecnico Aeroespacial (CTA) issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2001-06-03R2, dated June 24, 2002. The AD required accomplishment of Embraer SB 145-55-0028. As of October 1, 2002, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was in the process of drafting a similar AD. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N290SK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N290SK-2018-11-21), registration cancelled 2018-11-21, S/N 145474, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Embraer EMB-145LR - Registry model: [Embraer EMB-145LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-145lr) (registry code 3260212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce AE-3007A1P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-ae-3007a1p) (registry code 54571, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 145474 - Airframe hours: 1644 - Engines: Rolls-Royce A3007A 7040 lbs thrust turbo fan; Rolls-Royce A3007A 7040 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Chautauqua Airlines Inc., doing business as America West Express - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 9, 2002, 146 hours before - Departed: CMH, Columbus, OH - Destination: BDL, Windsor Locks, CT - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BDL, Bradley International Airport, runway 06, 9,510 × 200 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 15, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 3,100 total, 440 in this make and model, 1,600 as pilot in command, 240 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 14, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 1,880 total, 301 in this make and model, 500 as pilot in command, 236 in the last 90 days, 76 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/bright - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft broken - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: ALB, 25 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20020326007409I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020326007409I), Mar 26, 2002: Emb EMB145LR, Windsor Locks, CT, Minor damage. (-23) Aircraft was on an approach into the bradley international airport when it was struck by lightning. Aircraft damage included two severed elevator cables,… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54412. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 575 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395957&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Meteorological Factual Report (item 2, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40395959&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorological%20Factual%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Correspondence from FAA (item 3, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170444&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20from%20FAA-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.