Piper PA-28-235 accident near Paonia, Colorado, November 4, 2001
On November 4, 2001 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N4447D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paonia, Colorado (North Fork Valley 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
impact with a deer during initial climb immediately following rotation, resulting in the separation of the left main landing gear assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2001 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Paonia, Colorado · North Fork Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4447D · registry record · serial 10621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, and his passenger were on a sightseeing flight. While en route, the pilot decided to do a touch-and-go landing at a nearby airport. The pilot stated that he did not see any deer on the runway. However, just after rotation, a deer appeared in his path, and the airplane struck the deer with its left wing, tearing off the left main landing gear assembly. He continued to his final destination, where he landed the airplane, the airplane's left wing tip struck the ground, and the airplane slid off of the north side of 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 468 hours in all; 264 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 352 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,303 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2001; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O 540 B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GUC Gunnison CO at 9:07 pm
- Destination: EGE Eagle CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KEGE
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.