- Date
- March 5, 2023, 00:30 UTC
- Place
- Kinston, NC · On runway 23
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2527LCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 106900
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 airplane’s impact with two deer while performing a takeoff at night.
Findings · 1
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 flight instructor reported that while performing a touch-and-go landing at night, just prior to rotation speed, the pilot receiving instruction noticed a deer coming from the infield area. The flight instructor also saw a deer and heard a “clump” noise. The flight instructor reduced the engine power to idle and exited the runway. After taxiing to the ramp, the pilot and flight instructor noted damage to the airplane and subsequently airport operations personnel found one deceased and one injured deer near the landing runway. The deer strike resulted in substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2527L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17255727
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 2,325
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Mast Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Mast Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 1, 2023
- Departed
- W78 · South Boston, VA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- ISO · Kinston Regional Jetport At Stallings Field, runway 23, 11,498 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Remote
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,790 total · 150 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 339 total · 3 in this make and model · 291 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- ISO, 1 nm away
- METAR
- KISO 060056Z 18007KT 10SM CLR 12/05 A3022
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.