NYC99LA030

The pilot was landing into the sun and performing a wheel landing. Just as the wheels touched the ground, he struck a deer. The airplane came to rest on the runway, in a nose low attitude. The pilot reported that he had not seen the deer prior to the accident. Witnesses reported the deer came from left to right in front of the airplane.

On November 28, 1998, about 1530 eastern standard time, a homebuilt Kitfox IV, N9724F, struck a deer while landing at Royalton Airport (9G5), Gasport, New York. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that departed from Royalton Airport about 1445, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91.

In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot stated:

"...on final on runway 25, flying directly into the sun. Flared out for a wheel landing at an airspeed of 55-60 MPH. Just as the main wheels touched down on the runway it felt as if the front of the aircraft exploded, the plane nosed over and the nose skidded along the runway for some 75 feet and came to a stop on the right side of the runway...I got out the right side door, and saw a dead deer about 30 ft off the right side of the runway. Three witnesses told me the deer was running and jumping from my left to right and jumped into the front of the aircraft. The deer weighted about 150 pounds."

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reported that the lower fuselage in the vicinity of the firewall was crushed in, and the propeller blades were broken off. In addition, the engine mounts were bent.