Newark International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yardley, Pennsylvania 19067
Saturday, October 13, 2001 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight at 5,000 feet, the flight crew experienced a loud bang and subsequent roll and yaw of the airplane. They also experienced severe buffeting and the autopilot disengaged. The flight crew then observed that the number two power lever was jammed in a 68 percent torque position, and the airplane was unstable about the roll axis. After the airplane landed uneventfully, maintenance personnel and a FAA inspector observed two large bird strikes to the right wing. There was damage to the right wing spar cap, outer spar, ribs, and lower skin aft of the spar. Additionally, the inspector noted damage to the area of center section control pulleys, and that the number two engine throttle control pulley was broken.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an in flight collision with birds.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Yardley
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19067
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Newark International Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 55
Degrees magnetic from airport 220
Airport Elevation 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1854 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID PNE
Elevation of weather observation facility 121
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 29
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11838
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 4 2002 9:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Teterboro, NJ

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34820
NTSB Number NYC02LA008
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerospatiale
Aircraft Model ATR 42-320
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 159
Certified Max Gross Weight 37258
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 49
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 3 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 25977
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wells Fargo Bank Northwest
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 South Main Street
Aircraft Owner City Salt Lake City
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Continental Express Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1600 Smith Street
Operator City Houston
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77002
Operator Code C2XA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORF
Departure City Norfolk
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City Newark
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 8 2002 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22L
Runway Length 9980
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --