De Havilland DHC 8 102 N815EX

Summary

On 10 August 2014 at about 10:05 local time, a De Havilland DHC 8 102 registered N815EX, operated by Piedmont Airlines Inc, was involved in an accident near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. 20 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 August 2014 at 10:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Harrisburg Intl (MDT)

Coordinates

40.1933, -76.7628

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC 8 102

Registration

N815EX

Category

Airplane

Year built

1992

Engines

2

Operator

Piedmont Airlines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Harrisburg → Philadelphia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

DCA14CA147

Nobody was injured.

the airplanes collision with geese during the takeoff roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.