Encounter with deer on runway on takeoff roll. Makes unplanned short field takeoff to avoid contact.

Attributes
ACN	211030
Time
Date	199205
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sez
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	211030
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

On takeoff after accelerating to 50 mph a group of mule deer (6) ran across runway in front of aircraft from ramp hangar area (west) across runway to east side of runway. I was able to lift off short field technique. In feb of this yr (1992) the same situation happened when 20-25 deer ran across in front of my takeoff position which was stationary at that time. Thinking enough time had passed (all the deer were across runway) I initiated takeoff. At 30 mph another (4) deer ran across runway within 500 ft in front of me. I reduced throttle and braked heavily coming to a stop 100-150 ft from path of deer. No report was filed. There is no wildlife barrier around this facility. 2 similar occurrences within 3 months and 3 visits to the same airport indicate a very possible hazard. If it would have been after dark, I may not have seen the approaching deer. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states as he taxies on the parallel taxiway he tries to look between hangars for the deer. They tend to blend so well, it is hard to see them however, so one never knows what to expect. He knows of airport in flagstaff that recently put up a 14 ft fence around airport to eliminate this same problem. Analyst encouraged reporter to follow up with state agency and FAA hotline as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENCOUNTER WITH DEER ON RWY ON TKOF ROLL. MAKES UNPLANNED SHORT FIELD TKOF TO AVOID CONTACT.

Narrative: ON TKOF AFTER ACCELERATING TO 50 MPH A GROUP OF MULE DEER (6) RAN ACROSS RWY IN FRONT OF ACFT FROM RAMP HANGAR AREA (W) ACROSS RWY TO E SIDE OF RWY. I WAS ABLE TO LIFT OFF SHORT FIELD TECHNIQUE. IN FEB OF THIS YR (1992) THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENED WHEN 20-25 DEER RAN ACROSS IN FRONT OF MY TKOF POS WHICH WAS STATIONARY AT THAT TIME. THINKING ENOUGH TIME HAD PASSED (ALL THE DEER WERE ACROSS RWY) I INITIATED TKOF. AT 30 MPH ANOTHER (4) DEER RAN ACROSS RWY WITHIN 500 FT IN FRONT OF ME. I REDUCED THROTTLE AND BRAKED HEAVILY COMING TO A STOP 100-150 FT FROM PATH OF DEER. NO RPT WAS FILED. THERE IS NO WILDLIFE BARRIER AROUND THIS FAC. 2 SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITHIN 3 MONTHS AND 3 VISITS TO THE SAME ARPT INDICATE A VERY POSSIBLE HAZARD. IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AFTER DARK, I MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE APCHING DEER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES AS HE TAXIES ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY HE TRIES TO LOOK BTWN HANGARS FOR THE DEER. THEY TEND TO BLEND SO WELL, IT IS HARD TO SEE THEM HOWEVER, SO ONE NEVER KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT. HE KNOWS OF ARPT IN FLAGSTAFF THAT RECENTLY PUT UP A 14 FT FENCE AROUND ARPT TO ELIMINATE THIS SAME PROBLEM. ANALYST ENCOURAGED RPTR TO FOLLOW UP WITH STATE AGENCY AND FAA HOTLINE AS WELL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.