Saab-Scania Saab 340B accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 13, 2003
On November 13, 2003 at about 1:15 am local time, a Saab-Scania Saab 340B, registered N442XJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Minneapolis- St. Paul Internat airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 25 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight collision with geese during approach. The contributing factor was the bright night conditions
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2003 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Minneapolis- St. Paul Internat · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 25 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania Saab 340B · all Saab 340Bs on the register
- Registration
- N442XJ · no longer on the register · serial 442
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The air carrier flight was substantially damaged when it impacted geese while being vectored for approach. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilots heard a "thump." They reportedly watched the engine indications and saw nothing unusual. They visually inspected their respective wings and saw no damage. The airplane landed without incident at its destination. Inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the following areas: the vertical stabilizer front lower spare, the vertical stabilizer to the rear lower spare, the dorsal fin right hand skin panels and support structure, flange damage to rudder lower support rib for leading edge panel, and the left hand wing front spare.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,550 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,835 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 29,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CT7-9B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CT7-9B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesaba Airlines Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: EAU Eau Claire WI
- Destination: MSP Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12L, 8,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 22 |
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 CHI04LA033.