Primary finding
Probable cause
The airplane’s impact with deer while landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
Before landing, the pilot and flight instructor performed a mid-field transition over the runway and no wildlife were visible. The pilot receiving instruction reported that, during the landing roll on the runway, two deer impacted the airplane’s right forward fuselage and propeller. They maneuvered the airplane off the runway without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport manager/owner reported that since the airport was built 15 years ago, this was the first wildlife encounter with an aircraft. He stated that the airport did not have a perimeter fence.