Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
EMBRAER EMB-145LR — Chicago, IL, USA, 2010-03-13
NTSB number
CEN10IA157
Operator
EXPRESSJET AIRLINES INC
Registration
N16561
Highest injury
No injury
Regulation
Part 121
Damage
Minor
Cohort
Part 121 airline
Recorder data
Tier 1 — decoded recorder tables
Every sentence below is taken directly from NTSB records — the accident database, the docket's recorder reports and the Board's findings — with its source noted. Nothing is paraphrased or inferred.
NTSB summary
The airplane received minor damage when it sustained a lightning strike while on approach. The flightcrew subsequently encountered elevator control binding, although they were able to land without further incident. Both flightcrew members indicated that the control yoke could be manipulated in the aft direction, but that it would not move forward past about 60-percent deflection. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the tailcone was damaged. Examination of the damage disclosed that the tailcone's light assembly wiring harness and its respective overbraid shielding were thermally damaged. A bulkhead frame was dislodged from its location due to the thermal damage present on the wiring harness. The dislodged bulkhead came to rest on the elevator's bellcrank, which restricted the flightcrew's ability to control the elevator. Subsequent to the incident, the airplane's manufacturer redesigned the tailcone. The new design incorporates a light assembly secured to the tip of the tailcone by an aluminum retaining strap. In this design four diverters are installed on the exterior tailcone skin which are electrically bonded to the metallic retaining strap of the light assembly and to the metallic bonding plate installed in each side of the fairing.
An in-flight encounter with lightning. Contributing to the incident was the damaged and displaced tailcone bulkhead frame that inhibited the full travel of the elevator during approach.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
— 183,300 samples, 54 parameters, 25:12:30.0 to 26:39:09.9.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Pressure altitude ft
36,022.0
25:41:17.9
911.5
26:37:36.9
912.0
26:39:09.9
Pitch attitude deg
16.3
25:14:19.4
-2.8
26:18:05.4
-0.8
26:39:09.9
Roll attitude deg
30.1
26:32:07.7
-30.9
25:14:55.2
0.3
26:39:09.7
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
approach from 10,000 ft (plot 1)
Approach via waypoints KAYTO, PINKK and MONKZ plotted with latitude/longitude, roll, heading, autopilot, pitch, pitch trim, both control columns, right elevator, airspeed, altitude and radio altitudes
4
shortly after PINKK
Autopilot disconnected (crew reported this as the moment of the lightning strike); no obvious control binding - control column and right elevator movements correlate well; no other bus, display or warning discrete changed state at that time
4
Extracted by claude-fable-5-1 (in-session); 2 of 2 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.