ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-8-102 N815EX Harrisburg International Airport, PA (MDT)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Sunday 10 August 2014
Time:06:05
Type:Silhouette image of generic DH8A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
de Havilland Canada DHC-8-102
Operating for:US Airways Express
Leased from:Piedmont
Registration: N815EX
MSN: 321
First flight: 1992
Total airframe hrs:53834
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120A
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 17
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 20
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:near Harrisburg International Airport, PA (MDT) (   United States of America)
Phase: Initial climb (ICL)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Harrisburg International Airport, PA (MDT/KMDT), United States of America
Destination airport:Philadelphia International Airport, PA (PHL/KPHL), United States of America
Flightnumber:US4206
Narrative:
US Airways Express flight US4206 returned to land at Harrisburg International Airport, Pennsylvania, USA after sustaining a bird strike on departure. The aircraft, a DHC-8-102, encountered a flock of geese.
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.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The airplanes collision with geese during the takeoff roll."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 years and 7 months
Accident number: DCA14CA147
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Bird strike
Forced landing on runway

Sources:
» NTSB


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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Harrisburg International Airport, PA to Philadelphia International Airport, PA as the crow flies is 134 km (83 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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