Cessna 172 N885GT accident near Jefferson, Georgia

Probable cause

The airplane’s collision with a deer on the runway during landing.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor stated that after completion of a night practice instrument approach, they continued to the runway to perform a touch-and-go landing. As the main landing gear touched down on the runway, three deer ran in front of the airplane. The flight crew aborted the landing and then heard a loud “bang” when the airplane’s nose landing gear struck one of the deer as the airplane ascended. The underside of the fuselage was substantially damaged as a result of the collision. The pilot continued the departure, notified air traffic control, and landed at an alternate airport without further incident. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA25LA078 for the full record.