# NTSB WPR10LA395: Embraer EMB-145XR, N14105, Salt Lake City, UT, August 10, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 2010, 13:40 local (19:40 UTC) - Place: Salt Lake City, UT - Coordinates: 40.788333, -111.977775 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7883&lon=-111.9778&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 50 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Salt Lake City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76925 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA395 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76925/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76925 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA395 ## Probable cause An in-flight collision with a bird while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern during a visual approach. ## 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 · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-145XR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=3260214), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Flight crew; cases with it: [Embraer EMB-145XR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=3260214), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-145XR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=3260214), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md) ## Analysis While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the destination airport, the flying pilot transferred his focus from the instrument panel to outside the airplane. Immediately thereafter, he noticed a flock/formation of large birds directly ahead. With the airplane in such close proximity of the birds, he had no time to take evasive action. One of the birds impacted the airplane just aft of the nose cone. The bird, which was later tentatively identified as a White Pelican, penetrated the airplane's skin and entered the forward avionics bay. Neither flightcrew member had seen the birds in time for evasive action to be taken. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 2010, about 1340 mountain daylight time, an Embraer EMB-145XR, N14105, collided with a large bird while on a downwind for a visual approach to Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah. The two flight crew members, the two cabin crew members, and the 46 passengers were not injured, but the airplane, which was owned and operated by Express Jet Airlines, sustained substantial damage. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 scheduled passenger flight, which departed Houston-Bush Airport at 1136 central daylight time, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The airplane was on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan. According to the pilot, while the airplane was about five miles north of the airport, on a downwind for a visual approach in visual meteorological conditions, it flew through a flock of large birds about 6,900 feet above ground level (agl). A few seconds prior to the impact, as the airplane was being slowed from 280 knots to 190 knots, the Captain, who was the pilot doing the flying, looked at the instrument panel to check his instruments. When he looked back up he saw what he thought was at least six seagulls directly in front of the airplane. Neither he nor the First Officer had seen the birds prior to that moment in time. Because of their close proximity, there was no time to make control inputs to avoid them, and therefore one of the birds impacted the airplane forward of its windscreen. Because the bird penetrated into the forward avionics department, the Captain lost a number of his primary instruments, so he transferred control of the airplane to the First Officer, who completed an uneventful visual approach. When the airplane was inspected by emergency personnel on the taxiway, it was determined that a section of skin about three feet long had been folded back between the nose cone and the Captain's windscreen. Maintenance personnel who made an initial examination of the bird remains identified it as a White Pelican. A review of the data published by the Utah Water Science Center revealed that the Great Salt Lake is home to one of the three largest colonies of White Pelicans in North America, and that the adult birds can weigh as much as 20 pounds. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N14105](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N14105), registered now, S/N 145649, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EMBRAER EMB-145XR - Registry model: [Embraer EMB-145XR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-145xr) (registry code 3260214) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce AE3007 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-ae3007-series) (registry code 54582, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 145649 - Airframe hours: 22070 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYC AE3007 SER 7200 horsepower turbo fan; ROLLS-ROYC AE3007 SER 7200 horsepower turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Express Jet Airlines - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 6, 2010 - Departed: KIAH, Houston, TX - Destination: KSLC, Salt Lake City, UT - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KSLC, Salt Lake City International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 22, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 5,471 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 61; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 6, 2010; seat: right; flight hours: 3,587 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 16 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KSLC, 5 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). - [Accident 20100810040909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100810040909A), Aug 10, 2010: Embraer EMB-145XR, Salt Lake City, UT, Substantial damage. The aircraft was at 11,000 feet and approximately 5 miles west of the airport on a downwind slowing from 280 knots to 190 knots. The flight crew was receiving… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 28, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76925. 807 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 807 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335588&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.