Payson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Payson, Arizona 85541
Tuesady, May 27, 1997 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a night instructional flight, the flight instructor (CFI) had the student pilot divert to the Payson Airport. During the landing roll, an elk ran directly in front of the aircraft, and the pilots could not avoid hitting the animal. The airport had two previous occurrences of aircraft colliding with elk at night. The airport perimeter fence was 5 feet in height. The City Manager of Payson stated that the city had recently accepted a grant offer to begin the biding process and subsequent construction of an 8-foot wall around the airport property. He hoped to have the fence in place by the end of the calendar year.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an animal (elk) on the runway. Factors associated with the accident included: darkness, the pilot's inability to see the animal in sufficient time to avoid a collision, and the lack of a taller fence around the airport.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 45
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PAYSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85541
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PAYSON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E69
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5157
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 326
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N757HE
NTSB Number LAX97LA191
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15279746
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 16 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 5116
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD GLAZER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1575 EAST RYAN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CHANDLER
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85249
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VENTURE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1575 EAST RYAN ROAD
Operator City CHANDLER
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85249
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CHD
Departure City CHANDLER
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 2315
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code E69
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --