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Accidents · NTSB NYC03IA066 · Final report

Dornier 328-300 incident near Wellman, Ohio, March 13, 2003

On March 13, 2003 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Dornier 328-300, registered N419FJ, suffered minor damage in an incident near Wellman, Ohio (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 15 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.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
March 13, 2003 · about 3:15 pm local time · cases in 2003
Place
Wellman, Ohio · Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky · cases near this airport · map
Type
Incident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 15 people were on board or involved.
Weather
instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
Aircraft
Dornier 328-300 · all 328-300s on the register
Registration
N419FJ · no longer on the register · serial 3173
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, descending from 16,000 feet to 11,000 feet. The airplane was flying through light rain, which became heavier. The captain then asked ATC for a 20-degree right turn due to weather. ATC approved the request, but soon after turning on to the new heading, the airplane was struck by lightning.

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; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 688 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
  • Last flight review: February 4, 2003
  • Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: no injuries

Co-pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 1,248 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 6,300 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
  • Last flight review: November 16, 2002
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: rgt
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 4,528 hours
  • Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 28, 2003; 90 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 34,789 lb
  • Seats: 34
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW 306 B (turbofan); 0 hours total
  • Engine 2:; 0 hours total
  • Operator: Atlantic Coast Airlines

The flight

  • Departed from: TOL Toledo OH at 2:33 pm
  • Destination: CVG Covington KY
  • Flight plan: IFR
  • Runway 36, 11,000 ft by 150 ft
  • A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
  • Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
  • Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; scat at 600 ft
  • Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
  • Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
  • Observation at 3:18 pm from CVG, 48 miles away

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew3
Passengers12

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC03IA066.json.

The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.

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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.