Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the deer on the runway and the pilot's mismanagement of airspeed which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, after landing, at night and during the rollout, he noticed a deer on the runway about 70-80 feet in front of the airplane. The engine was at idle and the carburetor heat was on, but he pulled back on the controls to climb over the deer. The airplane stalled about 10 feet above the runway, impacted the runway, and then bounced a couple times before the nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane then nosed over, coming to rest inverted in the grass next to the runway. After several hours, the pilot was able to free himself from the airplane and drove him and the passenger home. An ambulance then took them to the local hospital. The airplane was noticed by the control tower operator, the following morning. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing.
Source record
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, after landing, at night and during the rollout, he noticed a deer on the runway about 70-80 feet in front of the airplane. The engine was at idle and the carburetor heat was on, but he pulled back on the controls to climb over the deer. The airplane stalled about 10 feet above the runway, impacted the runway, and then bounced a couple times before the nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane then nosed over, coming to rest inverted in the grass next to the runway. After several hours, the pilot was able to free himself from the airplane and drove him and the passenger home. An ambulance then took them to the local hospital. The airplane was noticed by the control tower operator, the following morning. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing.