- Date
- November 16, 1995, 19:00 local (Nov 17, 1995, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Peachtree City, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N707WCCessna 421
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951116036639A
- Case key
- 3670
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
Deer on the runway during a night landing that resulted in the collision.
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 established a night visual approach to runway 31. During the landing roll, a herd of deer appeared on the runway 2500 feet from the approach end. The airplane collided with several deer. According to the airport manager, notices to airmen are published in airport directories warning pilots of deer on the airport. Additionally, UNICOM operators inform pilots of deer when they are observed; no report of deer had been received before this accident.
Factual narrative
On November 16, 1995, at 1900 eastern standard time, a Cessna 421, N707WC, collided with several deer on the runway, while landing at Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Georgia. The business flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the airline transport pilot was not injured. The flight departed St. George Island, Florida, at 1730 hours.
While enroute to the destination airport, the pilot radioed flight service and requested airport advisories. Upon arriving within range of the destination airport, the pilot radioed UNICOM and again requested airport advisories. Neither advisory reported deer on the airport. The pilot established a night approach to runway 31. The touchdown was without incident, but during the rollout, a herd of six to eight deer appeared on the runway about 2500 feet from the approach end. The airplane collided with several deer, which resulted in the collapse of the nose gear.
According to the airport manager, notice to airmen are published in airport directories warning pilots of deer on the airport. Additionally, UNICOM operators inform pilots of deer on the airport when they are reported; no report of deer had been received before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N707WC
- Reported as
- Cessna 421
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 944
- Airframe hours
- 2,853
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-H, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Maritime Sales And Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 27, 1995 · 250 hours before
- Departed
- F47 · Apalachicola, FL
- Destination
- FFC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- FFC · Falcon Field, runway 31, 5,220 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 7,700 as pilot in command · 110 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FFC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.