Piper PA-38-112 accident near Smithfield, North Carolina, July 1, 1997
On July 1, 1997, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2600N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Smithfield, North Carolina (Johnston County 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
an animal (deer) on the runway. Factors associated with the accident were: the light condition at dusk, and failure or inability of the flight crew to see the deer in time to avoid a collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1997
- Place
- Smithfield, North Carolina · Johnston County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2600N · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor reported that he was giving instruction to a pre-solo student pilot, and while conducting the last touch-and-go, the airplane struck a deer. The student was at the controls at the time of the accident, which was at dusk. The instructor stated he did not see the deer. He felt a bump, but thought the airplane had hit a pot hole, until the student informed that they had hit a deer. The student continued the rotation after impact, then the instructor took the controls. The instructor planned to land immediately to inspect the damage, but the deer was still on the runway. He then elected to return to the home airport, where emergency personnel were available, since he was uncertain of the condition of the landing gear. The landing ended without incident. During the occurrence, the left wing, left flap, and main spar were damaged.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,391 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,190 as pilot in command; 570 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,754 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1997; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDU Raleigh-Durham NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2600N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.