What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/28/2023, a Cessna L-19 lost control during touchdown on runway 03 at the Martin County Airport (kmcz) with 2 people on board. The winds were reported to be calm. The pilot stated that just prior to touch down he saw a deer out of his left eye and veered right to avoid the animal but was unable to regain directional control in his attempt to realign the airplane on the runway. The airplane veered right and into the grass, in a direct collision course with a concrete drainpipe and concrete wall. The pilot attempted to clear the obstacle by becoming airborne and applied full power with 40 degrees of flaps selected. The aircraft struck the concrete wall head on at approximately 35 to 40 mph. No mechanical irregulairites were found. The pilot and passenger evacuated the aircraft with numerous injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/28/2023, A CESSNA L-19 LOST CONTROL DURING TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 03 AT THE MARTIN COUNTY AIRPORT (KMCZ) WITH 2 PEOPLE ON BOARD. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE CALM. THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN HE SAW A DEER OUT OF HIS LEFT EYE AND VEERED RIGHT TO AVOID THE ANIMAL BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IN HIS ATTEMPT TO REALIGN THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE VEERED RIGHT AND INTO THE GRASS, IN A DIRECT COLLISION COURSE WITH A CONCRETE DRAINPIPE AND CONCRETE WALL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLE BY BECOMING AIRBORNE AND APPLIED FULL POWER WITH 40 DEGREES OF FLAPS SELECTED. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE CONCRETE WALL HEAD ON AT APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH. NO MECHANICAL IRREGULAIRITES WERE FOUND. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NUMEROUS INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.