Fairchild Dornier DO-328-300 incident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, May 2, 2002
On May 2, 2002 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Fairchild Dornier DO-328-300, registered N429FJ, was involved in an incident near Atlantic City, New Jersey (Atlantic City airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 36 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of flight display information for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2002 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey · Atlantic City · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 36 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Dornier DO-328-300
- Registration
- N429FJ · registry record · serial 3194
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew experienced a strong odor and smoke in the cockpit, followed by a loss of flight displays during flight in instrument meteorological conditions. The captain declared an emergency, and the first officer flew the airplane referencing the stand-by instruments. Shortly after declaring the emergency, the crew made a right 360 degree turn to avoid severe weather. However, near the completion of the turn, the crew entered VIP 4 and 5 intensity level weather, and reported moderate to severe turbulence. The airplane was then vectored to an airport east of the severe weather, executed an instrument approach and landed without incident. While on approach, the crew reported that all flight displays had returned back to normal. Twenty-seven days later, another crew, who were flying the same airplane, also experienced a loss of flight displays. Approximately 2 minutes after the failure, the displays returned to normal and the flight landed without incident at its intended destination. Examination of electrical components revealed no discrepancies. In addition, the manufacturer reviewed the design of the electrical system and could not identify a design failure.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,210 hours in all; 237 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 1,802 as pilot in command; 1,191 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 205 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,022 as pilot in command; 664 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 766 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 13, 2002; 348 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 33,841 lb
- Seats: 35
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney 306 B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Pratt & Whitney 306 B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlantic Coast Airlines (Aca)
The flight
- Departed from: GSO Greensboro NC at 11:31 am
- Destination: LGA Laguardia NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,900 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.67 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from ACY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 33 |
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.