- Date
- February 1, 2006, 20:45 local (Feb 2, 2006, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Birmingham, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N902NSCessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FSDO 09 Birmingham
- FAA report
- 20060201001669A
- Case key
- 63254
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An in-flight collision with a deer during a go around, which resulted in damage to the left main landing gear and subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he entered the traffic pattern for runway 5 at Bessemer Airport, Bessemer, Alabama. "About 10 feet above the ground two deer came into the landing light from the left. I proceeded to go-around. As I started to pull up and climb, the left main gear contacted one of the deer. I continued the climb to a safe altitude and cleaned up the aircraft. I looked outside to inspect the left main gear to find it severely damaged." The pilot made the decision to divert to Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama. The pilot was vectored for a visual approach to runway 36. The airplane was landed on the right main landing gear, and the pilot held the airplane off the ground as long as possible. The left wing and stabilizer contacted the runway, and the airplane went off the left side of the runway coming to a complete stop.
Factual narrative
On February 1, 2006, at 2045 central standard time, a Cessna 172P, N902NS, registered to and operated by Northern States Aviation, Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 91 repositioning flight, collided with a deer while attempting to land at the Bessemer Airport, Bessemer, Alabama. The pilot diverted to Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama, and made a forced landing. The airplane received substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Drake Field, Fayetteville, Arkansas, on February 1, 2006, at 1745.
The pilot stated he entered the traffic pattern for runway 5 at Bessemer Airport, Bessemer, Alabama. "About 10 feet above the ground two deer came into the landing light from the left. I proceeded to go-around. As I started to pull up and climb, the left main gear contacted one of the deer. I continued the climb to a safe altitude and cleaned up the aircraft. I looked outside to inspect the left main gear to find it severely damaged." The pilot made the decision to divert to Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama. The pilot was vectored for a visual approach to runway 36. The airplane was landed on the right main landing gear, and the pilot held the airplane off the ground as long as possible. The left wing and stabilizer contacted the runway, and the airplane went off the left side of the runway coming to a complete stop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N902NS
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172754415
- Airframe hours
- 5,350
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Northern States Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Reliance Aviation, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2005 · 206 hours before
- Departed
- KFYV · Fayetteville, AR
- Destination
- KEKY · Bessemer, AL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KBHM · Birmingham International, runway 36, 7,100 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 628 total · 239 in this make and model · 519 as pilot in command · 153 in the last 90 days · 88 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KBHM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.