NONE · AIRBUS A330-323 · 2009-06-23 · Kagoshima, JA
Event
NTSB number
DCA09IA064
Event ID
20090706X72654
Type
Incident
Date
2009-06-23
Location
Kagoshima, JA
Injuries
Highest injury
NONE
Fatal
0
Serious
0
Minor
0
Uninjured
217
Total aboard
217
Aircraft
Make
AIRBUS
Model
A330-323
Registration
N805NW
FAR Part
NUSC
Engines
2
Damage
—
Conditions
Light
DAYL
Weather
IMC
Probable cause
Brief and temporary blockage of the pitot probes in cruise flight, most likely due to ice crystals aloft, leading to erroneous airspeed indications and airplane automation degradation as designed. Contributing to the incidents were design features of the Thales AA probes which left them more susceptible to high altitude ice crystal icing than other approved pitot probe designs.