Bombardier INC DHC-8-402 accident near Los Angeles, California, November 8, 2010
On November 8, 2010 at about 10:07 pm local time, a Bombardier INC DHC-8-402, registered N422QX, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 77 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 2010 · about 10:07 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 77 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier INC DHC-8-402
- Registration
- N422QX · no longer on the register · serial 4150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the approach to land, the flight crew reported a bird strike to the leading edge of the right wing. The crew declared an emergency and made an uneventful landing at their destination. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a 12-inch-diameter hole in the leading edge of the right wing centered between the right engine nacelle and the right wing tip. The damaged area was covered in bird remains, which were identified as the remains of a Common Loon (Gavia immer). The average weight for the species is about 10.9 pounds.
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
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,402 hours in all; 120 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 5,022 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,066 hours in all; 183 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 1,976 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 21, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,196 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 6, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 62,111 lb
- Seats: 70
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW150A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW150A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Air Industries INC
The flight
- Departed from: RDD Redding CA at 8:47 pm
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LAX, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 73 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11LA042.