Beverly Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beverly, Massachusetts 01915
Sunday, September 28, 2008 18:26 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certified flight instructor (CFI) of the Piper PA 28-161 stated that he, a student pilot, and a passenger were conducting an instructional flight in actual instrument meteorological conditions. They returned to their home airport on a cross-country flight, and the CFI executed an instrument approach uneventfully. The airplane then landed on runway 16, a 5,001-foot long, 100-foot wide, asphalt runway. About 5 seconds after touch down, while traveling about 50 knots, the CFI observed four or five deer on the right side of the runway. While the other deer scattered away from the runway, one deer ran onto the runway and into the airplane. The CFI swerved the airplane in an attempt to avoid the impact, but was unable. During the impact, the right wing sustained substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An inadvertent collision with a deer while landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1826
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Beverly
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01915
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423503N
Event Location Longitude 0705458W
Event Location Airport Beverly Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BVY
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 107
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BVY
Elevation of weather observation facility 107
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24561
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 21 2008 9:30AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8369A
NTSB Number NYC08CA327
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8116198
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 3981
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Piper 69A LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Danvers
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01923
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Beverly Flight Center
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Danvers
Operator State MA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 01923
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 ASH
Departure City Nashua
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1804
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BVY
Destination City Beverly
Destination State MA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 21 2008 9:30AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --