Amateur-built DHC8 - 102 accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 25, 2013
On November 25, 2013, a amateur-built DHC8 - 102, registered N808EX, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia International Air airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 40 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertent encounter with several birds during approach that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 2013
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Philadelphia International Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 40 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC8 - 102 102
- Registration
- N808EX · no longer on the register · serial 299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 24, 2013, at approximately 2040 EST, a De Havilland DHC-8-102, N808EX, operated by Piedmont Airlines as flight 4314, encountered a flock of a birds during the descent into Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airplane was located about 16 miles north of KPHL, and at about 4000 feet mean sea level (msl), when multiple birds impacted the fuselage and wing of the airplane . The flight crew notified air traffic control, and did not declare an emergency. None of the 40 passengers and crew onboard were injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight between Greater Binghamton Airport (KBGM), Binghamton, New York, and KPHL. The captain was the pilot flying, and stated that flight conditions were night VMC with no moon. The flight crew stated they were at 4,000 feet msl, at about 190 knots airspeed, and on the downwind leg for runway 26 when the bird strike occurred. The flight crew heard multiple thuds and saw some of the birds through the windshield. After the impacts, the flight crew checked instruments, disconnected autopilot, checked for changes in flight characteristics and did not note any changes. The first officer notified ATC of the bird strike and did not declare an emergency. The flight landed uneventfully at KPHL. Post flight maintenance inspection revealed substantial damage to the left front wing spar, left wing skin, and vertical stabilizer deice boot.
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
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Leading edge devices › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Spar (on wing) › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 8,200 hours in all; 6,810 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 2,213 hours in all; 428 in this make and model; 192 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 3, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53,120 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 18, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 34,500 lb
- Seats: 41
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PW120A (turboprop); 53,312 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PW120A (turboprop); 46,687 hours total
- Operator: Piedmont Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KBGM Binghamton NY
- Destination: KPHL Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point -2°F (-19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.44 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 37 |
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.