Embraer EMB-145XR N14105

Summary

On 10 August 2010 at about 19:40 local time, a Embraer EMB-145XR registered N14105, operated by Express Jet Airlines, was involved in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. 50 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 2010 at 19:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Salt Lake City International (KSLC)

Coordinates

40.7883, -111.9778

Aircraft

Embraer EMB-145XR

Registration

N14105

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Express Jet Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Houston → Salt Lake City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10LA395

Nobody was injured.

An in-flight collision with a bird while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern during a visual approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.