Boeing 727-233 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, November 20, 2001
On November 20, 2001 at about 6:27 am local time, a Boeing 727-233, registered N277FE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent collision with birds while on final approach to land resulting 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 20, 2001 · about 6:27 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-233 · all 727-233s on the register
- Registration
- N277FE · registry record · serial 22042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flightcrew reported that while on final approach for runway 9 at Memphis, at between 1,700 and 2,000 feet agl, at 250 knots, they encountered a flock of large birds. A bird penetrated the airplane under the captains windshield and bird remains entered the cockpit. They continued to Memphis and landed without further incident. Inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector after landing showed damage to the area below the captain's windshield and two areas of damage on the right inboard wing area, due to bird strikes. Radar data from the FAA, Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center, showed the flight was at about position 35 degrees, 3 minutes, 34 seconds North latitude, and 90 degrees, 4 minutes, 59 seconds West longitude, or about 6 nautical miles west of Memphis International Airport, at the time of the encounter. The FAA, Memphis Approach Control, personnel stated that the Automatic Terminal Information Service, information Romeo was in effect at the time of the accident which contained the 2353 surface weather observation, and that there was no bird activity reported in this information. Examination of feathers recovered from the cockpit and wing area of the aircraft was performed by personnel at The Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. The feathers were identified as coming from a Snow Goose, with an average weight for this species of 2,450 grams.
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 engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,280 hours in all; 2,280 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 490 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,285 hours in all; 1,285 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 497 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,168 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 18, 2001; 188 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 197,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8-17Q (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 4:47 am
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from MEM, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N277FE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.