- Date
- May 20, 2012, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Crossville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N456MBCessna 172R
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120520008239A
- Case key
- 83708
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's attempt to avoid a deer on the runway, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
According to the pilot, during the landing roll he noticed a deer on the runway. In an attempt to avoid hitting the deer, he applied the brakes and the airplane skidded off the runway and collided with a ditch. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that it sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, during the landing roll he noticed a deer on the runway. In an attempt to avoid hitting the deer he applied the brakes and the airplane skidded off of the runway. The airplane continued off of the runway and collided into a ditch. The post accident examination of the airplane revealed that it sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N456MB
- Reported as
- Cessna 172R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280033
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360 SER A&C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Citadel Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Citadel Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TRI · Blountville, TN
- Destination
- CSV · Crossville, TN
- Airport
- CSV · Crossville Memorial Airport, runway 08, 5,418 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 172 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- CSV
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.