- Date
- August 25, 2008, 21:30 local (Aug 26, 2008, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1281Cirrus Design SR20
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080825846069A
- Case key
- 68943
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 that ran onto the runway contacting the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was the dark night conditions.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported he was planning on making one night touch and go landing. He stated that just as he was rotating on takeoff, he saw a deer run across the runway. In addition, he heard a loud bang and the airplane veered slightly to the left. The pilot stated he was certain he contacted a second deer, but he continued the takeoff as he did not have enough runway left to stop. Once airborne, the pilot was able to see the damage on the left wing. He stated he maintained an additional 10 knots of airspeed and returned to land. The pilot stated the airplane handled "very well" until short final when the left wing dropped and the left main contacted the runway first. He maintained control of the airplane and turned off on a taxiway where he shut down the airplane. The pilot reported he did not see the second deer before it contacted the airplane.
Factual narrative
On August 25, 2008, at 2130 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR-20, N1281, operated by Western Michigan University collided with a deer during takeoff from the Greenville Municipal Airport (6D6), Greenville, Michigan. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The solo instructional flight was operating under title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated form Battle Creek, Michigan, at 2100. The pilot reported he flew to 6D6 and was planning on making one night touch and go landing. He stated that just as he was rotating on takeoff, he saw a deer run across the runway. In addition, he heard a loud bang and the airplane veered slightly to the left. The pilot stated he was certain he contacted a second deer, but he continued the takeoff as he did not have enough runway left to stop. Once airborne, the pilot was able to see the damage on the left wing. He stated he maintained an additional 10 knots of airspeed and returned to land at 6D6. The pilot stated the airplane handled "very well" until short final when the left wing dropped and the left main contacted the runway first. He maintained control of the airplane and turned off on a taxiway where he shut down the airplane. The pilot reported he did not see the second deer before it contacted the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1281
- Reported as
- Cirrus Design SR20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1581
- Engine
- Continental IO-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Western Michigan University
- Registered owner
- Sovereign Bank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BTL · Battle Creek, MI
- Destination
- 6D6 · Greenville, MI
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
- 21
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 197 total · 18 in this make and model · 85 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 70° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- GRR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.