Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, August 4, 2009
On August 4, 2009 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19, registered N8543F, suffered minor damage in an accident during enroute (change of cruise level) near Louisville, Kentucky. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 25 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2009 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 25 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19
- Registration
- N8543F · no longer on the register · serial 7543
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 4, 2009, at about 1715 CDT, Pinnacle Airlines flight 2871, a Bombardier CL 600-2B19, N8543F, from McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee to Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Detroit, Michigan, encounter severe turbulence during cruise at FL300. Of the 50 passengers and 3 crew members onboard, one flight attendant (FA) received serious injuries and one passenger received minor injuries. According to the flight crew, the flight was going in and out of clouds and was using the weather radar and visual observations to detect cloud formations and precipitation. The turbulence lasted about 10 seconds after entering a cloud formation. There was no radar indications of thunderstorms or precipitation when the turbulence was encountered. No PIREPS had been reported for the area. The FA was unable to continue her duties and directed a passenger on how to use the intercom to communicate with the flight crew. The captain declared a medical emergency and the flight diverted into Louisville International Airport (SDF), Louisville, Kentucky. Emergency services personnel met the airplane at the gate and the passenger and flight attendant were transported to a local hospital. The passenger was released with minor injuries but the flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae.
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 (change of cruise level) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,582 hours in all; 3,476 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 3,847 as pilot in command; 692 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- 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: 1,250 hours in all; 1,012 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 183 as pilot in command; 3 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,567 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 16, 2009
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: General Electric (Ge) CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric (Ge) CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pinnacle Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: TYS Knoxville TN at 8:25 pm
- Destination: DTW Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 22 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:22 pm from KBWG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 23 |
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.
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.