Cessna 172M accident near Three Rivers, Michigan, May 1, 2012
On May 1, 2012 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N30380, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Three Rivers, Michigan (Three Rivers Municipal 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
Collision with a deer during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2012 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Three Rivers, Michigan · Three Rivers Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N30380 · no longer on the register · serial 17264138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings. During the second touch-and-go, as the airplane rotated for takeoff, it hit a deer. The CFI took control of the airplane, continued the takeoff, and established that there were no vibrations and that the airplane was controllable. The CFI elected to divert to a nearby airport where emergency services were available, if needed, and landed without further incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing strut and right gear mount were bent, and the right side of the fuselage was buckled.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,776 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,845 as pilot in command; 1,595 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 24, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,505 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fly Kalamazoo LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KA20 Kalamazoo MI at 3:00 pm
- Destination: KHAI Three Rivers MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KHAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.