ASN Aircraft accident Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER N622BR Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 9 March 2002
Time:10:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic CRJ2 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER
Operated by:Atlantic Coast Airlines
On behalf of:United Express
Registration: N622BR
MSN: 7187
First flight:
Total airframe hrs:12059
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 50
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 53
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD) (   United States of America)
Phase: Takeoff (TOF)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD/KIAD), United States of America
Destination airport:New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA), United States of America
Flightnumber:7682
Narrative:
A CRJ-200ER, N622BR, operating as Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) flight 7682, struck two wild turkeys while initiating a takeoff from runway 30 at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). None of the 3 crewmembers or 50 passengers on board was injured. The airplane sustained damage to the number-two engine inlet, the first officer's windshield, and a 14- by 4-inch section of fuselage skin just below the windshield seal on the first officer's side.
The captain reported that the airplane was on departure roll and had accelerated past 80 knots when a flock of birds began to fly south over the runway. The airplane was traveling at approximately 110 knots when one of the birds hit the airplane, cracking the first officer's windshield and causing a few shards of glass to fall into the cockpit and onto the first officer. The captain immediately rejected the takeoff and stopped on the runway to assess the damage.

A postflight inspection by maintenance personnel revealed that the airplane had struck two wild turkeys. One turkey hit the intake of the number-two engine, slightly damaging the forward lip of the engine intake cowl. No bird remains went through the engine. The other turkey hit just below the first officer's windshield, where a turkey leg and foot were still lodged. Closer examination of the airplane revealed that the second turkey hit the nose sheet metal at the base of the first officer's windshield, bending the windshield support structure and causing the windshield to crack upward from that location. The second turkey penetrated the area beneath the lower support structure, went through the pressure bulkhead, and entered the back of the instrument panel but did not penetrate either the windshield or its supporting structure.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The airplane's collision with two wild turkeys."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 years and 10 months
Accident number: DCA02MA026
Download report: Summary report


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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 Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC to New York-La Guardia Airport, NY as the crow flies is 365 km (228 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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