- Date
- November 6, 2003, 20:20 local (Nov 7, 2003, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Montauk, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N80852Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20031106030569A
- Case key
- 58299
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 pilot's loss of control after performing an evasive maneuver to avoid a deer crossing the unlit runway, which resulted in a collision with trees. Factors related to the accident were the nighttime conditions, the inoperative runway lighting system, and the deer crossing the runway.
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
According to the pilot, he approached the airport area and attempted to turn on the pilot controlled lighting system at the airport. After several attempts, the only airport lighting the pilot observed illuminated was the windsock. The pilot continued the approach to the airport, and made a "low pass" over the runway to scare any deer away. The pilot then entered a left downwind for the runway, and elected to land without runway lights, due to ambient lighting. After the airplane touched down on the runway, during the rollout, the pilot observed deer crossing in front of the airplane from left to right. The pilot turned the airplane to the left to avoid the deer; however, the left wing struck a small stand of trees, substantially damaging the wing. According to the airport manager, the lighting system was tested the following morning, and all lighting except the runway lights illuminated. On following day, the lighting was tested again, and all lights illuminated. The manager added that it had rained the day before the accident, and the lighting control box was wet when examined.
Factual narrative
On November 6, 2003, at 2020 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N80852, was substantially damaged while landing at the Montauk Airport (MTP), Montauk, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at the Linden Municipal Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he approached the Montauk area and attempted to turn on the pilot controlled lighting system at the airport. After several attempts, the only airport lighting the pilot observed illuminated was the windsock. The pilot continued the approach to the airport, and made a "low pass" over runway 24 to scare any deer away. The pilot then entered a left downwind for the runway, and elected to land without runway lights, due to ambient lighting. After the airplane touched down on the runway, during the rollout, the pilot observed deer crossing in front of the airplane from left to right. The pilot turned the airplane to the left to avoid the deer; however, the left wing struck a small stand of trees, substantially damaging the wing.
According to the airport manager at Montauk, the lighting system was tested the following morning, and all lighting except the runway lights illuminated. On following day, the lighting was tested again, and all lights illuminated. The manager added that it had rained the day before the accident, and the lighting control box was wet when examined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80852
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8090081
- Airframe hours
- 4,511
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Martin Pederson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 18, 2003 · 4,423 hours before
- Departed
- LBJ · Linden, NJ
- Destination
- MTP · Montauk, NY
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- MTP · Montauk Airport, runway 24, 3,258 × 85 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- February 14, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,046 total · 906 in this make and model · 1,007 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MTP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.