Piper PA-28-151 accident near Bessemer, Alabama, January 17, 2002
On January 17, 2002 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N6910F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bessemer, Alabama (Bessemer airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
On ground collision with an animal during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2002 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bessemer, Alabama · Bessemer · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N6910F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7715187
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Piper PA-28-151, collided with a deer, while conducting touch and go landings. During the instructional flight a deer ran across the runway from the right side of the airplane. The airplane collided with the deer on the leading edge of the right wing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 570 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 166 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 370 as pilot in command; 141 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,477 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bessemer Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: EKY Bessemer AL at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from ANB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.