Airbus A320 accident near Red Oak, Iowa, November 20, 2022
On November 20, 2022 at about 2:51 am local time, a 1992 Airbus A320, registered N330NW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Red Oak, Iowa. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 153 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Multiple bird strikes during descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2022 · about 2:51 am local time
- Place
- Red Oak, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 153 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320 211, built 1992 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- N330NW · no longer on the register · serial 307
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Delta Air Lines flight 2295 struck several birds while descending through 13,000 feet on approach to Eppley Airfield (OMA), Omaha, Nebraska. The bird strike occurred about 34 miles southeast of the airport, near Red Oak, Iowa, at an airspeed of 290 knots. The crew continued the approach and made a normal landing. Weather at the time of the event was night visual conditions. Birds struck the airplane and punctured the fuselage skin in two locations on the left side; one above the cockpit windows and another near the pitot tube (see figure 1). Another bird punctured the skin on the right side of the fuselage below the cockpit window. Damage was evident to the stringers and frames at each location, and the size of the punctures in total exceeded the size of the outflow valve. The damage adversely affected the structural strength and pressurization performance and required a major repair. Figure 1. Photo of two of the bird strikes on the left side of the airplane, indicated by blue circles. (Source: Delta Air Lines) The flight crew described the noise as the strike occurred as being like an “explosion.” The cabin depressurized, and the cockpit door blew open. The captain reported that the wind noise was “extreme” which made communication difficult. Soon after the strike the airplane descended though 10,000 ft and the cabin altitude matched the airplane altitude at about 9,500 ft. The crew declared an emergency, continued the approach to OMA, and landed uneventfully. The species of birds was identified as either Snow Goose or Ross’s Goose (DNA testing could not discriminate between the two) by the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Laboratory. According to the FAA, there were no pilot reports of bird activity in the area near the time of the accident.
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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Availability of related info
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,335 hours in all; 1,779 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 10, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 660 hours in all; 316 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 2, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 84,273 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 17, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 172,000 lb
- Seats: 166
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines INC
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA
- Destination: OMA Omaha NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from KOMA, 34 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KOMA 200252Z 17003KT 10SM CLR M07/M13 A3037 RMK AO2 SLP298 T10721133 50000=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 147 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Bird Strike Report and Negative Pireps | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | 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.