- Date
- September 11, 1998, 05:58 local (11:58 UTC)
- Place
- Douglas, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4612UCessna 180F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980911023749A
- Case key
- 43972
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
A collision with a deer during take-off.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was taking off from Converse County Airport's runway 28 (6,750 feet x 100 feet, asphalt) in the predawn darkness, en route to Casper, Wyoming, about 47 miles to the west. As the airplane lifted off the runway, a small deer (weighing an estimated 75 pounds) struck the rear of the airplane. Because the airplane remained under control at all times, the pilot elected to continue to Casper, where he landed without incident. Examination of the airplane disclosed the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer was crushed inward and bent.
Factual narrative
On September 11, 1998, at 0558 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180F, N4612U, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with a deer during the takeoff roll at Douglas, Wyoming. The airline transport-rated pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, he was taking off from Converse County Airport's runway 28 (6,750 feet x 100 feet, asphalt) in the predawn darkness, en route to Casper, Wyoming, about 47 miles to the west. As the airplane lifted off the runway, a small deer, weighing an estimated 75 pounds, struck the rear of the airplane. Because the airplane remained under control at all times, the pilot elected to continue to Casper, where he landed without incident. Examination of the airplane disclosed the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer was crushed inward and bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4612U
- Reported as
- Cessna 180F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051312
- Airframe hours
- 2,668
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert W. Duncan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 16, 1997 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- DGW
- Destination
- CPR · Casper, WY
- Airport
- DGW · Converse County, runway 28, 6,750 × 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
- 59
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,558 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 11,582 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DGW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.