- Date
- September 16, 2017, 17:10 local (Sep 17, 2017, 00:10 UTC)
- Place
- Manzanita, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N232TBRudberg Todd W Vans Acft RV8
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170916016039A
- Case key
- 96034
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 collision with two elks during landing.
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 he landed on the runway and noticed an elk running toward the nose of the airplane. He applied full throttle and climbed to avoid impact, but the propeller struck the elk. The pilot shut off the engine, and the airplane descended to the runway. When the airplane touched down on the runway, a second elk collided with the airplane's left wing. The airplane veered to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then veered to the right and came to rest on the right wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The Airport Facility Directory for the accident airport stated that there was wildlife in the vicinity of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot, reported that he landed on the runway and noticed an elk running toward the nose of the airplane. He applied full throttle and climbed to avoid impact, but the propeller struck the elk. The pilot shut off the engine and the airplane descended to the runway. When the airplane touched down on the runway, a second elk collided with the airplane's left wing. The airplane veered to the left and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then veered to the right and came to rest on the right wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The Airport Facility Directory for the accident airport, states that there is wildlife in the vicinity of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N232TB
- Reported as
- Rudberg Todd W Vans Acft RV8 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 81315
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 1,355.8
- Engine
- Lycoming IO390, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special); Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 24, 2017
- Departed
- PAE · Everett, WA
- Destination
- 3S7 · Manzanita, OR
- Airport
- 3S7 · Nehalem Bay State, runway 33, 2,350 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display
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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,800 total · 1,800 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KAST, 28 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.