The solo student pilot reported that during a day visual meteorological condition flight, in the landing flare he saw a deer where he intended to touch down at the airport in Williamsburg, Virginia.
He banked to the right and applied power to go-around, but during the turn to the right he was unable to clear a line of trees in his flight path.
The student pilot reported that the landing gear “scraped” one line of trees, and in order to avoid a thicker line of trees ahead, he forced the airplane down into a marsh area.
The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage.
During a post-accident interview with an airport representative, he reported that the airport does not a have a perimeter fence.
The Federal Aviation Administration Chart Supplement airport page for the airport in part states: “Deer and birds on and in the vicinity of airport.”
Probable cause: An evasive maneuver during the landing flare to avoid deer on the runway, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the lack of an airport perimeter fence.
NTSB Identification: GAA16CA396
This July 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Mike S. says
If you’re going to wipe out the airplane, take out the deer to. At least you’ll have something to eat for the winter.
Jim Macklin, ATP CFI ASMEIL ASES says
From the linked NTSB report
NTSB Identification: GAA16CA396
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 27, 2016 in Williamsburg, VA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/12/2016
Aircraft: CESSNA 150, registration: N18228
Injuries: 1 Minor.
It doesn’t say whether the CE 150 had manual or electric flaps And I’m not going to look further into FAA records for model and year. A Cessna 150, even with a solo student won’t climb worth damn on a hot and humid July day in Virginia.
The flap operation is essential on a 150 go-around.
Full power and pitch up to stop the descent, the nose will still be low until the flaps are retracted. If you pitch up before full power a stall is likely. If you raise the pitch into a climb attitude a stall is a certainty unless the flaps are set to a 10 degrees or less.
I haven’t flown a CE 150 in years. I soloed a fast-back 150 back in 1967 which had a Johnson bar flap lever between the seats and a handle to pull to engage the starter. he old 150s had 40 degree extension, newer 150 are limited to 30 degrees because of the go-around issues.
Jim Macklin says
A go-around should be power, pitch, set flaps to a take-off setting, all straight ahead until above the trees.
Deer can jump a fence that is over 5 feet tall. a deer fence that works is two fences close enough together that the deer are trapped between the fences. They will have a third fence panel at an opening every couple of hundred feet so the deer can get out, but can’t get a run to jump.
A pass along the runway at 50-100 feet will usually cause the deer to move away. On a grass strip it also gives you a chance to look for pot holes or ground hog mounds.
Most deer are under 200 pounds and once on the ground hitting the deer might be safer than trying a late go-around.
gbigs says
Over the numbers speed and full flap landing config should have enabled the student to climb straight out. Banking led to the increased load factor and the trees.
Henry K. Cooper says
I’m not bashing the guy in total…..he’s a student, and I get that. But on landing, eyes belong on the “road ahead”. Blaming this on the lack of a fence is crazy. Anything, not just wildlife, can be on a runway……including those who take the active without checking who may be on final. I saw my boss in a 402B just miss a STOL 182 that started his take off roll witj the boss on short final. Had the 182 done a STOL take off, things would have been ugly. There is too much at stake in aviation not to be ever vigilant.
Henry K. Cooper says
This accident is unfortunate and I’m glad the student pilot is OK, but blaming the lack of a perimeter fence as the accident cause is a stretch. Most, if not all interstate highways have paralleling fencing, yet deer carcasses litter the highway. Deer can jump higher than Kareem Abdul Jabar! If you are low and slow, gear down and “dirty” on short final and can’t see a deer on the runway in the daytime, then eyes must have been buried in the panel.
Allan says
Well, I live in deer country of Central Texas. I can say with absolute certainty that deer “blend in” with the background and sometimes cannot be seen even in bright sunshine, unless they move or otherwise attract your eye. They are remarkable “pests” that are a real boon to auto body shops, and incredibly dangerous on our small rural airports as they can seem to appear out of nowhere. I’d cut the guy some slack.