Beech 1900D accident near Muskegon, Michigan, August 20, 2003
On August 20, 2003 at about 3:15 am local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N79SK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muskegon, Michigan (Muskegon County Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 12 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane colliding with a deer during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2003 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Muskegon, Michigan · Muskegon County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 12 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N79SK · registry record · serial UE-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft impacted a deer while on landing rollout. The deer was struck by the left propeller, causing substantial damage to the left engine nacelle firewall and supporting structure.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,462 hours in all; 3,097 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 15, 2003
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,295 hours in all; 1,836 in this make and model
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,774.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 11, 2003; 25.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,765 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKE Milwaukee WI at 2:40 am
- Destination: MKG Muskegon MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from MKG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.