Embraer ERJ-145LR accident near Cleveland, Ohio, January 6, 2003
On January 6, 2003 at about 5:48 pm local time, a Embraer ERJ-145LR, registered N16571, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland-Hopkins Intl Arpt airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 50 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 captain's failure to attain a proper touchdown on runway, and his subsequent failure to perform a go-around, both of which resulted in a runway overrun. Factors were the company's inadequate dispatch procedures with their failure to provide all NOTAMS for the airport to the flight crew, and the snow covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2003 · about 5:48 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · Cleveland-Hopkins Intl Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 50 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Embraer ERJ-145LR
- Registration
- N16571 · no longer on the register · serial 633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots initiated an approach to runway 6L, which was snow covered, and had a useable landing distance of 6,000 feet. The last winds from the tower were 340 degrees at 22 kts, with gusts to 35 knots. The maximum demonstrated crosswind for the airplane was 30 knots. The ATIS contained runway condition data that was 1 hour old. Inside the final approach fix, the captain elected to land with the wing flaps set at 22 degrees, rather than 45 degrees due to the wind. The Vref was adjusted to 138 kts, however, the final 38 seconds of flight was above 138 kts, and the final 7 seconds of flight was above 150 kts. In the final eight seconds of flight, the radar altimeter was less than 15 feet. However, the pilot continued with the landing and did not go-around. Touchdown occurred at an airspeed of 150 kts, about 1,523 feet from the departure end of the runway, and 2,308 feet from the ILS localizer antenna, which the airplane struck after it overran the runway. According to the company flight manual, with flaps set at 22 degrees, and a wet runway, the actual landing distance would have been 4,260 feet. When interviewed, the flight crew reported they had not checked landing distance. The FAA had published a NOTAM 26 days prior to the accident, which raised the landing minimums for the runway from 4,000 ft RVR to 5,000 ft RVR. The NOTAM was not in the airline's data base, and the company had no backup method for determining if they had all NOTAMS. The last RVR transmitted to the flight crew was 4,000 ft. The local controller did not update the flight crew with the latest RVR, or braking action reports as required. There was no requirement for the local controller to notify the pilots that the airport was below landing minimums even though the controllers were required to be aware of the approach minimums.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,765 hours in all; 661 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 2,328 as pilot in command; 1,310 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,550 hours in all; 804 in this make and model; 194 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 1,150 as pilot in command; 868 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 845.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 10, 2002; 378.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 48,501 lb
- Seats: 54
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce 3007-AIP (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce 3007-AIP (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Expressjet Airlines Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BDL Windsor Locks CT at 3:25 pm
- Destination: CLE Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6L, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 19 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:42 pm from CLE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 47 |
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.