- Date
- July 8, 2016, 15:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- Red Lodge, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N955CStinson 108
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160708013809A
- Case key
- 93585
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 deer running across the runway and impacting the left side of the airplane, resulting in a loss of directional control, a runway excursion, and a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff he noticed movement from the left as a deer ran onto the runway. He further reported that he applied right rudder to avoid hitting the deer, but the deer impacted the airplane between the left pilot's door and the horizontal stabilizer causing the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot stated that he attempted to recover by applying maximum right brake and right rudder, however it was ineffective and the airplane exited the runway to the left, ground looped, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, empennage and fuselage. 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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff he noticed movement from the left as a deer ran onto the runway. He further reported that he applied right rudder to avoid hitting the deer, but the deer impacted the airplane between the left pilot's door and the horizontal stabilizer causing the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot stated that he attempted to recover by applying maximum right brake and right rudder, however it was ineffective and the airplane exited the runway to the left, ground looped, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, empennage and fuselage. 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
- N955C
- Reported as
- Stinson 108 (3)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-3955
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 2,923
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-350-C1R, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 14, 2016
- Departed
- RED · Red Lodge, MT
- Destination
- BIL · Billings, MT
- Airport
- RED · Red Lodge, runway 16, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 3, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,450 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 3,450 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KPOY, 28 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 3, 2016, 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.