- Date
- April 25, 2000, 07:50 local (12:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hancock, MI
- Injuries
- 21 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N404XJSaab-Scania SF-340B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000425037009A
- Case key
- 49064
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
the deer which ran onto the runway and were subsequently struck by the airplane.
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 first officer (flying pilot) reported that during the takeoff run, the captain noticed a group of about seven deer approaching the runway. The first officer aborted the takeoff; however, the airplane contacted two deer which ran onto the runway. The deer contacted the left engine/propeller which automatically shut down. The airplane then taxied to the gate without further incident. The collision occurred approximately 3,000 feet down the 6,501 foot runway just prior to the airplane reaching V1.
Factual narrative
On April 25, 2000, at 0750 eastern daylight time, a Saab SF-340B, N404XJ, operated by Mesaba Airlines as Northwest Airlink flight 3233, collided with two deer during a takeoff ground run at the Houghton Memorial Airport, Hancock, Michigan. The Captain, First Officer, Flight Attendant, and 18 passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 121 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions on and IFR flight plan.
The first officer (flying pilot) reported that during the takeoff run, the captain noticed a group of about seven deer approaching the runway. The first officer aborted the takeoff; however, the airplane contacted two deer which ran onto the runway. The deer contacted the left engine/propeller which automatically shut down. The airplane then taxied to the gate without further incident.
The collision occurred approximately 3,000 feet down the runway which was 6,501 feet long and 150 feet wide, just prior to the airplane reaching V1.
The operator reported the left engine gearbox was damaged. The engine compressor case was cracked 120 degrees around its circumference. Two propeller blades completely separated from the hub. The forward portion of the engine nacelle was twisted and the longerons which attach the nacelle to the wing were cracked.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N404XJ
- Reported as
- Saab-Scania SF-340B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 404
- Airframe hours
- 8,863
- Engine
- GE CT7-9B, 1,750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Lambert Leasing, Inc., doing business as Northwest Airlink
- Registered owner
- Mesaba Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 5, 2000 · 119 hours before
- Departed
- CMX
- Destination
- MSP · Minneapolis, MN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CMX · Houghton Co. Memorial, runway 31, 6,501 × 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
- 35
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, 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
- 3,543 total · 280 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CMX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.