Amateur-built VANS RV-7A accident near Vinton, Iowa, June 8, 2013
On June 8, 2013 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VANS RV-7A, registered N717JR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Vinton, Iowa (Vinton Veterans Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent collision with a deer during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2013 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vinton, Iowa · Vinton Veterans Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV-7A
- Registration
- N717JR · registry record · serial 70938
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during a day landing at a non-tower-controlled airport, the airplane had just touched down and was traveling at about 60 mph when the pilot saw four deer running across the runway. He reported that he had no time to react and could not avoid hitting one of the deer. The collision resulted in a rupture of the fuel cell in the wing, and substantial damage to the wing spar, engine compartment firewall, and lower fuselage.
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
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during landing defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,800 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,671 as pilot in command; 866 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 17, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 167 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 1, 2012; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IOW Iowa City IA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: VTI Vinton IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KVTI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on August 5, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.