Fokker F.28 Mk 0100 accident near Flushing, New York, September 4, 2003
On September 4, 2003 at about 10:24 am local time, a Fokker F.28 Mk 0100, registered N1450A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flushing, New York (La Guardia Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 38 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with birds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2003 · about 10:24 am local time
- Place
- Flushing, New York · La Guardia Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 38 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fokker F.28 Mk 0100
- Registration
- N1450A · no longer on the register · serial 11459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff the airplane encountered a large flock of Canadian geese. The crew reported hearing a series of loud noises, followed by the failure of the right engine. The airplane subsequently made an emergency landing at a nearby airport. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the nose, fuselage, and right engine consistent with multiple bird strikes. The right engine fan blades were deformed, and had received leading edge impact damage. One fan blade had separated at the root. Additionally, a hole was found in the right engine inlet duct, which coincided with a penetration in the fuselage above the aft-most window on the right side of the airplane. The blade that penetrated the fuselage was not recovered.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 65 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2003
- 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: 4,987 hours in all; 918 in this make and model; 223 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 2,827 as pilot in command; 1,003 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,174 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 8, 2003; 201 hours since
- Seats: 93
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce TAY650-1-5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce TAY650-1-5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGA Flushing NY at 10:24 am
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; a few clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 am from LGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 34 |
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.