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C172 struck a deer with horizontal stabilizer after initiating a go around in an attempt to avoid the herd crossing the runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 754698 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200711 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 5 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | landing : go around |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 837.9 flight time type : 692.9 |
| ASRS Report | 754698 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters : animal |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : executed go around |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
My student and I were about to perform a soft-field landing at night at ZZZ. We were in ground effect over the runway when we noticed a herd of 5-7 deer run across the runway in front of us. My student immediately executed a go around. In the midst of the go around; we heard a 'thud' but felt nothing. We felt no difference in aircraft controls and flew the aircraft back to our home base ZZZ. We felt as though; perhaps; we skimmed the top of one of the deer's heads with the tire. Upon landing; we noticed no damage to the tires. We did; however; find a dent on the right horizontal stabilizer. We think that in performing the go around; when we pitched up to execute the climb; the tail lowered and hit one of the deer. I feel that a go around was the safest decision; and that the deer striking the horizontal stabilizer's leading edge was unavoidable.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 STRUCK A DEER WITH HORIZ STABILIZER AFTER INITIATING A GAR IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE HERD XING THE RWY.
Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I WERE ABOUT TO PERFORM A SOFT-FIELD LNDG AT NIGHT AT ZZZ. WE WERE IN GND EFFECT OVER THE RWY WHEN WE NOTICED A HERD OF 5-7 DEER RUN ACROSS THE RWY IN FRONT OF US. MY STUDENT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A GAR. IN THE MIDST OF THE GAR; WE HEARD A 'THUD' BUT FELT NOTHING. WE FELT NO DIFFERENCE IN ACFT CTLS AND FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO OUR HOME BASE ZZZ. WE FELT AS THOUGH; PERHAPS; WE SKIMMED THE TOP OF ONE OF THE DEER'S HEADS WITH THE TIRE. UPON LNDG; WE NOTICED NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES. WE DID; HOWEVER; FIND A DENT ON THE R HORIZ STABILIZER. WE THINK THAT IN PERFORMING THE GAR; WHEN WE PITCHED UP TO EXECUTE THE CLB; THE TAIL LOWERED AND HIT ONE OF THE DEER. I FEEL THAT A GAR WAS THE SAFEST DECISION; AND THAT THE DEER STRIKING THE HORIZ STABILIZER'S LEADING EDGE WAS UNAVOIDABLE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.