Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 accident near New York, New York, December 5, 2012
On December 5, 2012 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19, registered N411ZW, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near New York, New York (Laguardia airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 53 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertant birdstrike on approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2012 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · Laguardia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 53 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19
- Registration
- N411ZW · registry record · serial 7569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 5, 2012, at approximately 1800 eastern standard time, a Bombardier CRJ200 operated by Air Wisconsin as USAirways Express flight 3852, experienced a bird strike while descending through 7,000 feet on approach to the New York LaGuardia Airport, New York. The bird strike occured about 30 miles southwest of the airport, at an airspeed of 200 knots. The crew continued the approach and made a normal landing. Weather at the time of the event was night visual conditions. There were no injuries to the 3 crewmembers or 50 passengers. Structural damage was found on skin panels, bulkheads, stringers, frames, nose landing gear support structure, ADG enclosure, leading edges, and piccolo ducts. The forward pressure bulkhead was dented, deformed, and punctured in several areas, affecting the structural strength of the bulkhead and require major repair or replacement, thereby qualifying as substantial damage. The species of bird was identified as Snow Goose by the Smithsonian Institution bird hazard laboratory.
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 approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,899 hours in all; 4,811 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,209 hours in all; 287 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26,288 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Wisconsin
The flight
- Departed from: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Destination: KLGA New York NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 50 |
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.