# NTSB ERA12CA185: Cessna 172S, N6194V, Eufaula, AL, February 14, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 13, 2012, 20:30 local (Feb 14, 2012, 02:30 UTC) - Place: Eufaula, AL - Coordinates: 31.951665, -85.117774 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9517&lon=-85.1178&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 24, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82924 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12CA185 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82924/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82924 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA185 ## Probable cause An inadvertent collision with a deer during a night landing. ## 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 · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition; cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/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) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 107 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/310/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, during a night landing at a non-tower-controlled airport, the student pilot flared the airplane. They both then felt and heard a loud jolt and thought the student pilot had made a hard landing. The student pilot completed the landing roll, turned the airplane around, and began to back taxi. During the back taxi, both pilots saw remnants of a deer in the middle of the runway. The student pilot was then directed to taxi off the runway and shut down the engine. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the main landing gear, engine compartment firewall, lower fuselage, nose cowling and propeller. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the flight instructor, during a night landing at a non-tower-controlled airport, the student pilot flared the airplane. They both then felt and heard a loud jolt, and thought the student pilot had made a hard landing. The student pilot completed the landing roll, turned the airplane around, and began to back taxi. During the back taxi, both pilots saw remnants of a deer in the middle of the runway. The student pilot was then directed to taxi off the runway and shut down the engine. A postflight examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the main landing gear, engine compartment firewall, lower fuselage, nose cowling and propeller. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6194V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6194V), registered now, S/N 172S10771, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S10771 - Airframe hours: 1550 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Auburn University - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 25, 2012 - Departed: ECD, Panama City, FL - Destination: EUF, Eufaula, AL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EUF, Weedon Field Airport, runway 36, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 33; injuries: none; flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 9, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 452 total, 244 in this make and model, 398 as pilot in command, 64 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 21, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 109 total, 109 in this make and model, 57 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: EUF ## 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 20120213002559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120213002559A), Feb 13, 2012: Cessna 172S, Eufala, AL, Substantial damage. During a night landing touchdown at keuf February 13, 2012 at 1905 CT a Cessna 172S aircraft operated by auburn university (DW8S) sustained an inflight impact… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82924. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 443 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364499&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilots Statements (item 2, .PDF, 438 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364500&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilots%20Statements-Master.PDF - Memorandum of Record: FAA Inspector Statement (item 3, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364868&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%3A%20FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - EUF Weather Observations (item 4, .PDF, 371 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364501&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=EUF%20Weather%20Observations-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.