Embraer EMB-145 incident near Norfolk, Virginia, April 25, 2001
On April 25, 2001 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-145, registered N29917, was involved in an incident near Norfolk, Virginia (Norfolk International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 53 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The manufacturer's inadequate quality control, which resulted in a jammed elevator trim actuator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2001 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia · Norfolk International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 53 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-145 · all EMB-145s on the register
- Registration
- N29917 · registry record · serial 145-414
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the horizontal stabilizer jammed in the (-1)-degree trim position. After an uneventful landing, the elevator trim actuator was forwarded to the manufacturer for examination under the supervision of a Safety Board investigator. The elevator trim actuator contained a primary and back-up clutch gear, and each gear had a respective torque nut and lock washer. The examination revealed that that the tabs on the lock washers were not bent over into the locked position. Additionally, there was no evidence that the tabs had ever been bent into the locked position. The back-up clutch torque nut had backed off and down the shaft, coming to rest against the clutch gear cluster bearing outer race. The backed-off nut exhibited a scratch around the outer edge of the face, consistent with fouling against the clutch gear cluster bearing outer race, subsequently jamming the unit. The manufacturer identified the isolated error in the production process.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 9, 2001; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 48,501 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Allison AE3100A1/3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Allison AE3100A1/3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Express INC
The flight
- Departed from: EWR Newark NJ at 9:00 pm
- Destination: ORF Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 9,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft; a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from ORF, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 50 |
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 N29917 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.