Cessna 340A accident near Big Piney, Wyoming, September 8, 2000
On September 8, 2000 at about 1:45 am local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N844YT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Piney, Wyoming (Big Piney airport). It was a business 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
Collision with animals during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2000 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Big Piney, Wyoming · Big Piney · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N844YT · no longer on the register · serial 1271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff roll, at about 95 knots, the aircraft collided with two antelope. The antelope were crossing the runway from left to right and the aircraft impacted them with the nose landing gear and right engine propeller. Damage occurred to the nose gear assembly, nose wheel well keel beam and right engine propeller. Dusk conditions existed at the time and the visibility was approximately 10 miles. There was no animal protective fencing or other animal control devices installed at the airport which is uncontrolled.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,862 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 11,562 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,550 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 5, 2000; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,390 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q
- Destination: CPR Casper WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,803 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from BPI, 1 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.
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.