Embraer EMB145 accident near St Louis, Missouri, February 24, 2016
On February 24, 2016 at about 5:23 am local time, a 2001 Embraer EMB145, registered N856HK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near St Louis, Missouri (Lambert-St Louis Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 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
the flight crews' failure to consider all available runways for landing to minimize the gusty crosswind component. Contributing to the accident was the captain's reduction of the engine thrust for about 1 second at low altitude immediately after the first officer applied maximum thrust to conduct a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2016 · about 5:23 am local time
- Place
- St Louis, Missouri · Lambert-St Louis Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB145 MP, built 2001 · all EMB145s on the register
- Registration
- N856HK · no longer on the register · serial 145441
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landing on runway 30L at STL in gusty crosswind conditions and the first officer was the pilot flying. The first officer questioned the captain on the use of flaps 45 on two occasions during the approach but ultimately decided to land with flaps 45. There were no airport limitations in effect for runway 6 at the time of the accident that would have precluded the flight crew's use of the runway 6. The flight crew had the performance numbers available to land on runway 6 which was more aligned with the wind conditions and would have reduced the crosswind component by more than half. During the flare, with the engines at flight idle, the airplane rolled left and then right when they encountered a wind gust. The left wingtip struck the runway followed by the right wingtip as the first officer advanced the thrust levers for a go-around. After the first officer advanced the thrust levers as the pilot flying, the captain, as pilot monitoring, reduced the engine power to idle for about 1 second before advancing them back to max thrust without a positive transfer of control. After the go-around, the first officer transferred control to the captain who subsequently performed an uneventful landing at flaps 22 on runway 30L.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Flight crew
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc AE 3007A1; 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc AE 3007A1; 0 hours total
- Operator: Trans States Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: KORD Chicago IL
- Destination: KSTL St Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30L, 11,019 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 030° at 22 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Observation at 4:51 am from KSTL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 30 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
16 documents, released by the NTSB on April 1, 2024. 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.
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.