- Date
- May 11, 2019, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mount Holly, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N51DMAero Commander 695
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Wildlife encounter (non-bird)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190511006499A
- Case key
- 99427
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 a deer on the runway during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 takeoff, just as the airplane became airborne, a deer struck the right side of the fuselage. The pilot determined that there would not be sufficient runway remaining to land, so he quickly performed a "controllability test," which indicated that pitch control was abnormal. He determined that he was able to control the airplane enough to enter the traffic pattern and attempt a landing. The airplane landed hard, and the pilot then initiated reverse thrust and taxied to the ramp without further incident. The pilot reported that he never saw the deer, but seconds before impact, the copilot saw the deer on the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory page for the airport stated, in part, the following: "Deer on and [in vicinity of airport]."
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during takeoff, right as the airplane became airborne, a deer struck the fuselage on the right side. The pilot determined that they would not have sufficient runway remaining to land, so the pilot quickly performed a "controllability test", which indicated that pitch control was abnormal. He determined that he was able to control the airplane enough to enter the traffic pattern and attempt a landing. The airplane landed hard, the pilot initiated reverse thrust, and taxied to the ramp without further incident. The pilot reported that he never observed the deer, but seconds before impact, the copilot saw the deer on the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory page for the accident airport, in part, stated: "Deer on and [in vicinity of airport]."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51DM
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 695 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 96014
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 2,599
- Engines
- Garrett Airesearch TPE33110501K, 900 horsepower, turbo propGarrett Airesearch TPE33110501K, 900 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Jersey Ordnance Inc
- Registered owner
- Jersey Ordnance Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 18, 2019
- Departed
- VAY · Mount Holy, NJ
- Destination
- ASH · Nashua, NH
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- VAY · South Jersey Rgnl, runway 08, 3,881 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,944 total · 111 in this make and model · 2,900 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- April 29, 2004
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,356 total · 3,137 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KVAY, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.