Cessna 177RG accident near Wautoma, Wisconsin, November 18, 2000
On November 18, 2000, a Cessna 177RG, registered N8027G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wautoma, Wisconsin (Wautoma Municipal airport). It was a personal 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
the deer that traveled onto the runway and contacted the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were the night light conditions and the light snow that was falling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2000
- Place
- Wautoma, Wisconsin · Wautoma Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N8027G · registry record · serial 177RG0027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted a deer during landing. The pilot reported that he kept the nose wheel off the runway as long as possible after touchdown. As the nose was descending, he saw a deer on the runway approximately 50 to 60 feet in front of the airplane. He veered the airplane to the right to avoid hitting the deer with the propeller and the nose of the airplane. The deer panicked and ran back toward the airplane. The wing passed over the top of the deer; however, the deer contacted the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported the light conditions were bright night and light snow was falling which reduced his ability to see the deer on the runway.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 856 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I78 Marysville OH at 8:00 pm
- Destination: Y50
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.