Saab-Scania SAAB 340B accident near Bradley, Illinois, April 6, 2010
On April 6, 2010, a Saab-Scania SAAB 340B, registered N437XJ, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Bradley, Illinois. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 30 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew's encounter with convectively induced turbulence associated with a convective cloud during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2010
- Place
- Bradley, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 30 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania SAAB 340B · all SAAB 340Bs on the register
- Registration
- N437XJ · no longer on the register · serial 340B437
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane entered a cumulus or convective cloud system and encountered moderate to severe turbulence as it approached its destination. The single flight attendant in the cabin hit her head on the cabin roof and then fell, fracturing her tail bone. The flight attendant was able to complete her duties and sought medical assistance after landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 7, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,320 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 23, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 29,000 lb
- Seats: 38
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CT7-SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CT7-SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesaba Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detroit MI at 11:27 pm
- Destination: PIA Peoria IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 28 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10LA218.