- Date
- June 25, 2016, 22:30 local (Jun 26, 2016, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Flushing, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N21553Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160625009899A
- Case key
- 93502
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 collision with a deer during touchdown of a night landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of the airplane.
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 pilot reported that during a night landing he collided with a deer on the runway during touchdown. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a night landing he collided with a deer on the runway during touchdown. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21553
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17263970
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 4,549.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 9, 2015
- Departed
- N98 · Boyne City, MI
- Destination
- 3DA · Flushing, MI
- Airport
- 3DA · Dalton, runway 18, 2,510 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 27, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 862 total · 559 in this make and model · 839 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KFNT, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.