Piper PA-32-260 accident near Litchfield, Illinois, August 10, 2003
On August 10, 2003 at about 1:40 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3258W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Litchfield, Illinois (Litchfield Muni). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An animal wandered onto the runway and collided with the airplane. A factor was the night light condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2003 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Litchfield, Illinois · Litchfield Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3258W · registry record · serial 32-81
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it struck a deer during the landing roll at night. The pilot reported that he performed a low approach to check the runway condition prior to executing the landing. The pilot reported that one deer ran across the runway while the airplane was on the landing roll and shortly afterward, a second deer ran onto the runway and was struck by the airplane.
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, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,321 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 4,118 as pilot in command; 1,657 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,259 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2002; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 054-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALN Alton IL at 1:25 am
- Destination: 3LF Litchfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from ALN, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N3258W 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.