MIA99LA036

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172C · Tallahassee, FL · November 26, 1998

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 26, 1998, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
Place
Tallahassee, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1377YCessna 172C
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 16, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19981126032479A
Case key
45380

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

an on ground collision with a horse.

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.

In flight collision with objectLanding - flare/touchdown
Object - animal(s)Cause
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

The pilot was landing at a private airstrip when a herd of horses crossed the runway. The pilot attempted to takeoff again, but struck and killed one of the horses, causing the airplane to nose over. He said when he was on the ground, after landing and still rolling , he saw the movement of the horses off to his right, about 100 feet away from the airplane, on the landing field side of the fence and moving along the fence line in a slow gallop. He elected to go around and get out of the field. As he applied full power the horses tracked across the field in the path of the airplane. Three to four horses ran across the field and the last horse to cross the path of the airplane closed with the aircraft and did not run away, but in a straight line which put it directly in front of the aircraft. At or near ground effect speed the airplane struck the horse in a broadside impact, with a nose up attitude resulting in the instantaneous death of the horse, the loss of power, propeller, and nose gear. The airplane dragged the horse for several yards, and then nosed forward and flipped over.

Factual narrative

On November 26, 1998, about 1630 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172C, N1377Y, registered to a private individual, collided with a horse during an attempted go-around after landing at a private airport, near Tallahassee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries, the horse was killed. The flight originated at 1610, from Tallahassee Commercial Airport, Florida.

The pilot was landing at a private airstrip when a herd of horses crossed the runway. The pilot attempted to takeoff again, but struck and killed one of the horses, causing the airplane to nose over.

According to the pilot's statement, he was on the ground after landing and still rolling. He said, "...I saw the movement of the horses off my right...about 100 feet away from the aircraft. The animals were seen on the landing field side of the fence and moving along the fence line in a slow gallop...I elected to go around and get out of the field. I applied full power and was near flying speed when the horses then tracked across the field in the path of the plane...3 to 4 horses were then running across the field and the last animal to cross the path of the plane then closed with the aircraft and was not running away, but in a straight line which put it directly in front of the aircraft. At or near ground effect speed I struck the horse in a broadside impact, with nose up attitude resulting in the instantaneous death of the horse, the loss of power, propeller, and nose gear...dragged the horse...for several yards and then the aircraft nosed forward and flipped over."

Aircraft

Registration
N1377Y
Reported as
Cessna 172C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17249077
Airframe hours
2,985
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D2J, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Roy L. Talley
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 9, 1998 · 29 hours before
Departed
68J · Tallahassee, FL
Airport
NONE · Private Strip, runway 5, 2,000 × 200 ft, grass/turf

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
46
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
744 total · 734 in this make and model · 653 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
360° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
4,700 ft broken
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
TLH, 10 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.