What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
2020-10-03, N4972, Cessna 172 was out practicing landings on numerous airfields. There were two pilots on board; the pic's former CFI was with him, showing him different airfields in the area. A half hour prior to sunset, the aircraft entered a midfield downwind for runway 24 at (04W), Field Of Dreams Airport. This runway is 2750 x 75 cutout in the middle of agricultural fields and has surrounding forest.
There is a standing NOTAM for a 55 foot obstacle on the approach end of rwy 24, requiring a steeper than normal approach. This was a focal point for landing at this airport. After touchdown, on rollout, eight deer were forward and off the right side of the runway. As the aircraft was slowing the deer all started running across the runway in front of and at the aircraft. Two deer smashed into the right side of the aircraft between the prop and the wing strut. The deer bounced up against the windows as the aircraft came to a straight ahead stop. One deer laid dead the other wounded one ran off. Prop strikes had taken place on bone, the right side of the engine cowl was smashed, the fuselage structure near the lower strut was smashed. The wing strut itself appeared straight.
The aircraft continued to run, so the pilots taxied clear of the runway and put it in a borrowed hangar. They are currently working with FSDO aw on a maintenance plan of action.
As the FAA filed it
2020-10-03, N4972, CESSNA 172 WAS OUT PRACTICING LANDINGS ON NUMEROUS AIRFIELDS. THERE WERE TWO PILOTS ON BOARD; THE PIC'S FORMER CFI WAS WITH HIM, SHOWING HIM DIFFERENT AIRFIELDS IN THE AREA. A HALF HOUR PRIOR TO SUNSET, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A MIDFIELD DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 24 AT (04W), FIELD OF DREAMS AIRPORT. THIS RUNWAY IS 2750 X 75 CUTOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND HAS SURROUNDING FOREST.
THERE IS A STANDING NOTAM FOR A 55 FOOT OBSTACLE ON THE APPROACH END OF RWY 24, REQUIRING A STEEPER THAN NORMAL APPROACH. THIS WAS A FOCAL POINT FOR LANDING AT THIS AIRPORT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, ON ROLLOUT, EIGHT DEER WERE FORWARD AND OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWING THE DEER ALL STARTED RUNNING ACROSS THE RUNWAY IN FRONT OF AND AT THE AIRCRAFT. TWO DEER SMASHED INTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT BETWEEN THE PROP AND THE WING STRUT. THE DEER BOUNCED UP AGAINST THE WINDOWS AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STRAIGHT AHEAD STOP. ONE DEER LAID DEAD THE OTHER WOUNDED ONE RAN OFF. PROP STRIKES HAD TAKEN PLACE ON BONE, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COWL WAS SMASHED, THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE NEAR THE LOWER STRUT WAS SMASHED. THE WING STRUT ITSELF APPEARED STRAIGHT.
THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO RUN, SO THE PILOTS TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY AND PUT IT IN A BORROWED HANGAR. THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH FSDO AW ON A MAINTENANCE PLAN OF ACTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.