# Accident 19970630020069A: Piper PA38112, Smithfield, NC, June 30, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 30, 1997, 20:50 local time
- Place: Smithfield, NC
- Airport: Johnston County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.4994° N, 78.3400° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4994&lon=-78.3400&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2600N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2600N-2007-10-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,391 total, 157 in this make and model, 39 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA102) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970630020069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

UNKNOWN TO CFI STUDENT STRUCK A DEER ON TAKEOFF. MANAGED TO RETURN TO AIRPORT. LEFT WING SPAR WAS BENT BY IMPACT. (-23) MR. EVETT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WITH HIS STUDENT AT JNX AIRPORT WITH THE STUDENT FLYING. AS THEY COMPLETED THEIR FINAL TAKEOFF AT THE AIRPORT TO RETURN TO RDU, MR. EVETT FELT A "BUMP" AND BELIEVED THEY HAD STRUCK A POTHOLE. THE STUDENT INFORMED HIM THAT THEY HAD STRUCK A DEER, WHICH MR. EVETT HAD NOT SEEN BECAUSE IT WAS TURNING DUSK. THEY RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND, BUT OBSERVED THE DEAD DEER ON THE RUNWAY. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING "NORMALLY" HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO RDU FOR LANDING. RADIO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH RALEIGH FSS TO NOTIFY THE AIRPORT MANAGER AT JNX. RDU APPROACH WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTROLLER INITITATED AN EMERGENCY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL97LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA102), Jul 1, 1997: Piper PA-38-112 (N2600N), Smithfield, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: an animal (deer) on the runway. Factors associated with the accident were: the light condition at dusk, and failure or inability of the flight crew to see the deer in time to avoid a collision.

## Other reports on N2600N (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20070504014729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070504014729A), May 4, 2007: Piper PA38112 (N2600N), Laurel, MD, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks and the engine stopped immediately. He was unable to restart the engine. The aircraft landed east on old portland…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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