Piper PA 28-161 N8369A accident near Beverly, Massachusetts

Probable cause

An inadvertent collision with a deer while landing.

NTSB analysis

The certified flight instructor (CFI) of the Piper PA 28-161 stated that he, a student pilot, and a passenger were conducting an instructional flight in actual instrument meteorological conditions. They returned to their home airport on a cross-country flight, and the CFI executed an instrument approach uneventfully. The airplane then landed on runway 16, a 5,001-foot long, 100-foot wide, asphalt runway. About 5 seconds after touch down, while traveling about 50 knots, the CFI observed four or five deer on the right side of the runway. While the other deer scattered away from the runway, one deer ran onto the runway and into the airplane. The CFI swerved the airplane in an attempt to avoid the impact, but was unable. During the impact, the right wing sustained substantial damage.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for NYC08CA327 for the full record.