Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 accident near Stringtown, Mississippi, January 3, 2025
On January 3, 2025, a 2001 Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19, registered N438SW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Stringtown, Mississippi (Greenville Mid-Delta airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Bird strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2025
- Place
- Stringtown, Mississippi · Greenville Mid-Delta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19, built 2001
- Registration
- N438SW · registry record · serial 7574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain reported that about 5 miles north of the destination airport, at 3,000 ft mean sea level, the flight encountered a flock of birds. Due to the night lighting condition, the flight crew did not see the birds until they struck the airplane. The impact caused the captain’s primary flight display (PFD) to become unusable. The first officer’s PFD and the standby instruments continued to operate normally. The engines were not affected, and the flight landed without further incident. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the forward fuselage including a bulkhead, a frame, and the skin. Additional damage to the radome, right winglet, and vertical stabilizer was minor. Seven samples examined by the Smithsonian Feather Identification Lab were identified as being from Greater White-Fronted Geese.
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,267 hours in all; 825 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 14,092 as pilot in command; 597 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 23, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 920 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 686 as pilot in command; 430 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44,083 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 24, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 33
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 45,500 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 45,039 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Flight Management INC
The flight
- Departed from: DFW Dallas / Ft. Worth TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: GLH Greenville MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18L, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from KGLH, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGLH 030053Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR 06/04 A3029
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| LapC | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 29 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane Nose (Operator Photo)
Photograph 2 – Airplane Nose (Operator Photo)
Photograph 3 – Right Side of Forward Fuselage (Operator Photo)
Photograph 4 – Left Side of Forward Fuselage (Operator Photo)
Photograph 5 – Right Side Windshield (Operator Photo)
Photograph 6 – Vertical Stabilizer (Operator Photo)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 21, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 7 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.