# NTSB CEN25LA353: Piper PA-28-140, N5714F, Pittsfield, IL, September 1, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 31, 2025, 20:15 local (Sep 1, 2025, 01:15 UTC)
- Place: Pittsfield, IL · Runway 31
- Coordinates: 39.63889, -90.778559 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6389&lon=-90.7786&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 15, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200914
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA353
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200914/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200914
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA353

## Probable cause

The collision with a deer during the aborted landing in night visual meteorological conditions.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 107 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310/sequence.md)
- [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 107 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor and the pilot-receiving-instruction were conducting a night landing in visual meteorological conditions when upon touchdown a deer ran across the runway ahead of the airplane. They aborted the landing due to insufficient distance to slow the airplane and avoid the deer. Shortly after liftoff, a second deer attempted to cross the runway and struck the front left side of the airplane. Without sufficient runway remaining to land, the flight instructor continued with the takeoff, entered the traffic pattern, and made an uneventful landing. The flight instructor did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. The airplane’s left wing sustained substantial damage where it struck the deer. The publicly owned airport does not have wildlife fencing installed to exclude deer and other mammals, nor is it required to. The FAA Airport/Facility Directory does include a remark for deer and migratory waterfowl on and in the vicinity of the airport. According to FAA CertAlert No. 16-03, Recommended Wildlife Exclusion Fencing, the installation of a 10-foot-high fence with 3-strand barbed wire outriggers is the best way of keeping deer out of aircraft movement areas.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5714F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5714F), registered now, S/N 28-24928, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-24928
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 4483.4
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Piston Aviation
- Registered owner: Future Pilots Fund
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 13, 2025, 68 hours before
- Departed: 1H0, Saint Louis, MO
- Destination: PPQ, Pittsfield, IL
- Airport: PPQ, Pittsfield Penstone Municipal Airport, runway 31, 4,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 24; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 28, 2024; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 989 total, 279.6 in this make and model, 846 as pilot in command, 165.1 in the last 90 days, 74.1 in the last 30 days, 5.9 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 25, 2025; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 149 total, 83.2 in this make and model, 100.5 as pilot in command, 39.8 in the last 90 days, 9.5 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 50° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observed at: KPPQ
- METAR: KPPQ 010115Z AUTO 05004KT 10SM CLR 20/14 A3020 RMK AO2 T02030141

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250831014579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250831014579A), Aug 31, 2025: Piper PA-28-140, Pittsfield, IL, Substantial damage. On 8-31-25 approximately 1925 local time, aircraft departed 1H0 with one instructor pilot and one instrument student pilot on board. Aircraft was enroute to…

## Other investigations on N5714F (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC70DHD10](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC70DHD10), Mar 7, 1970: Piper PA-28 (N5714F), Torresdale, PA, substantial damage

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200914. 5.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19741444&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Record of conversation (airport manager) (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 100 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19742313&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Airport%20Manager)-Rel.pdf
- Airport facility directory (ppq) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 186 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19742144&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Airport%20Facility%20Directory%20(PPQ)-Rel.pdf
- FAA certalert no 16-03 (recommended wildlife exclusion fencing) (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 143 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19741369&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04%20-%20FAA%20CertAlert%20No%2016-03%20(Recommended%20Wildlife%20Exclusion%20Fencing)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 625 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19741454&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=05%20-%20Investigation%20Photos%20(CEN25LA353)-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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