Embraer EMB-145LR incident near Jefferson, New York, March 27, 2002
On March 27, 2002 at about 3:10 am local time, a Embraer EMB-145LR, registered N290SK, suffered minor damage in an incident near Jefferson, New York (Bradley International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 17 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight encounter with lightning, which severed two of the four elevator cables.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2002 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Jefferson, New York · Bradley International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 17 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-145LR · all EMB-145LRs on the register
- Registration
- N290SK · no longer on the register · serial 145474
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was on approach to the airport, flying through rain and snow, and descending through 13,000 feet. No thunderstorm cells were depicted on the weather radar, but the airplane was noticeable struck by lightning. The strike severed two of the four elevator cables, however, the flight landed uneventfully.
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 land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 15, 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,880 hours in all; 301 in this make and model; 236 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,644 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 9, 2002; 146 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 42,328 lb
- Seats: 55
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce A3007A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce A3007A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chautauqua Airlines Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 2:00 am
- Destination: BDL Windsor Locks CT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 9,510 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:31 am from ALB, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 14 |
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.