Piper PA-28-161 accident near West Branch, Michigan, January 12, 2006
On January 12, 2006 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8325H, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Branch, Michigan. 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 encounter 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
- January 12, 2006 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- West Branch, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8325H · registry record · serial 28-8116130
- 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 a landing roll. The pilot reported that the landing was normal. During the landing roll, she felt the airplane "jerk" to the left. She reported that she was able to maintain control of the airplane on the runway. A passenger in the airplane stated that he saw the deer just prior to it contacting the airplane, but there was not enough time for the pilot to take evasive action. The deer contacted the left wing of 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 445 hours in all; 436 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 381 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESC Escanaba MI at 8:55 pm
- Destination: Y31 West Branch MI
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HTL
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.
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.