What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he was departing runway 14 at Summey Airpark (8NC2) at 2000 hrs on 12/1/11. At the beginning of his take off roll, he spotted a deer crossing the runway. The pilot swerved to avoid the at the same time, a flashlight sitting on top of the instrument panel fell to the cockpit floor and he reached to retrieve it. As it was dark, he did not realize he had veered off the runway and was rolling through a field. Upon realizing the aircraft was not performing as it should and seeing the trees ahead of him, the pilot reduced power prior to striking trees and brush. The aircraft suffered substantial damage in the impact.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 14 AT SUMMEY AIRPARK (8NC2) AT 2000 HRS ON 12/1/11. AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS TAKE OFF ROLL, HE SPOTTED A DEER CROSSING THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SWERVED TO AVOID THE AT THE SAME TIME, A FLASHLIGHT SITTING ON TOP OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FELL TO THE COCKPIT FLOOR AND HE REACHED TO RETRIEVE IT. AS IT WAS DARK, HE DID NOT REALIZE HE HAD VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND WAS ROLLING THROUGH A FIELD. UPON REALIZING THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD AND SEEING THE TREES AHEAD OF HIM, THE PILOT REDUCED POWER PRIOR TO STRIKING TREES AND BRUSH. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN THE IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.