Amateur-built DHC8 accident near Boise, Idaho, October 29, 2019
On October 29, 2019 at about 9:33 pm local time, a 2001 amateur-built DHC8, registered N402QX, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Boise, Idaho (Boise Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a bird strike during climb out.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2019 · about 9:33 pm local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · Boise Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC8 402, built 2001
- Registration
- N402QX · no longer on the register · serial 4032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 29, 2019 at 1433 mountain daylight time, Horizon Air as flight 2337, a Bombardier De Havilland DHC8, N402QX, struck a bird during climb out from Boise Airport (KBOI), Boise, Idaho. After the collision, the flight crew saw visual evidence of the bird remains on the left wing, determined there were no indications of control problems, and decided to continue to Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (KSEA), Seattle, Washington, where the flight landed with no further incident. Postflight inspection of the airplane revealed that the the bird impact had partially severed the left wing leading edge composite structure and cracked the front spar web. The flight was operating was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 and there were no injuries to the 80 passengers and crew onboard.
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 initial climb 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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 9,628 hours in all; 994 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 4,474 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2019
- 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,813 hours in all; 575 in this make and model; 134 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 441 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 25, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 43,991.6 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 12, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 65,400 lb
- Seats: 82
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A; 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A; 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Air Indistries Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KBOI Boise ID at 7:30 pm
- Destination: KSEA Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Sky: scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KBOI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on December 5, 2019. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
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.