- Date
- November 15, 2001, 22:00 local (Nov 16, 2001, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Coatesville, PA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9373WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report October 23, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20011115038729A
- Case key
- 53793
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
Collision with a deer during the takeoff roll.
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 student pilot initiated the takeoff, and rotated the airplane about 70 knots. During the rotation, the flight instructor noticed a "blur" on the left side of the airplane, and felt an impact. He took control of the airplane, reduced the power, and landed on the remaining runway. After exiting the airplane, the pilots observed a deceased deer near the runway, and deer fur was observed on one propeller blade.
Factual narrative
On November 15, 2001, at 2200 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-235, N9373W, was substantially damaged when it collided with a deer during takeoff, at the Chester County Airport (40N), Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The certified flight instructor (CFI), student pilot, and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the flight instructor, he taxied the airplane to runway 29 for takeoff. The student pilot then took the controls and initiated the takeoff roll. As the airplane reached about 70 knots, the student pilot pulled back on the control yoke to rotate the airplane. The flight instructor then noticed a "blur" on the left side of the airplane, and felt an impact. He took over the flight controls, reduced the power to idle, and landed on the remaining runway.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed an examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, the airplane sustained damage to the left wing spar, and the left fuel tank was ruptured. Additionally, a deceased deer was found near the runway, and deer fur was observed on one propeller blade.
Weather at Lancaster Airport, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, about 22 miles from 40N, at 2153, included calm wind and 10 miles visibility.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9373W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-11064
- Airframe hours
- 2,486
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chester County Aviation Holdings
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 17, 2001 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- 40N · Coatesville, PA
- Destination
- RDG · Reading, PA
- Airport
- 40N · Chester County Airport, runway 29, 5,400 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 25, 2001
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,400 total · 65 in this make and model · 1,790 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 0 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- LNS, 22 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.