CHI94LA136

The pilot reported he felt an impact during landing roll, and later discovered the airplane had collided with a deer. He said it was a dark night and he did not see the animal. The following morning, an 80 pound white tail deer was discovered dead beside the runway. A representative of a local FBO stated the airport was actively participating in a deer depredation program in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

On April 19, 1994, at 2230 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150A airplane, N7044X, sustained substantial damage while landing in Angola, Indiana. The solo commercial pilot received no injuries.

The personal flight originated at 2215 in Kendallville, Indiana and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. A flight plan was not filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

The pilot stated he landed uneventfully on runway 23. During the landing roll, about 1000 feet down the runway, the aircraft was struck by a deer. He stated it was a dark night and he did not see the deer but felt the collision. He stopped the aircraft and discovered substantial damage to the outboard leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer. The fuselage just forward of the empennage was buckled on the right and a rivet line was separated on the left side.

The following morning an 80 pound male deer was discovered dead on the edge of the runway. A representative of Tri-State Airways, a local fixed base operator, stated the animal had a broken back.

During a telephone interview, William Eyster of Tri-State Airways stated the airport is enclosed by a "farm fence" which is four feet tall and topped with a strand of barbed wire. He said three sides of the airport are wooded areas and deer are often discovered on the airport. He stated the airport possessed a depredation permit issued by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and removed 8 to 10 deer per year from the premises. Additionally, the wooded areas are being reduced to minimize the habitat.

Eldra Van Hoey, the District Wildlife Biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, reported he worked closely with local airports in an effort to control the deer hazard. He said the animal was probably a young white tail deer and a 10 foot fence is required to contain them.