Piper PA28 accident near Titusville, Florida, October 19, 2010
On October 19, 2010, a Piper PA28, registered N9247V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Titusville, Florida (Space Coast Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent collision with a deer during a night takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2010
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Space Coast Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 161 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N9247V · no longer on the register · serial 2841255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certificated flight instructor (CFI), the purpose of the flight was for the student pilot to perform a night cross-country. After completing a full stop landing at the destination airport, they taxied back to the runway to complete additional practice of flying in the traffic pattern. While on the takeoff roll, as the student pilot began to rotate the airplane airborne, the CFI observed an animal directly in front of the airplane on the centerline. He took authority of the flight controls in an attempt to not collide with animal as the airplane began the initial climb. He heard a "bang" as the airplane passed over what was later identified as a deer. The CFI then noticed the left rudder pedal was looser than normal and no brake pressure was observed in the left toe brake. After a few low passes and confirmation from the control tower personnel that the left landing gear was not in the normal position, the CFI decided to land the airplane. During landing rollout, the left wing struck the ground and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left landing gear had separated, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar. According to the CFI, no mechanical anomalies were present prior to hitting the deer.
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
What happened, in order
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 669 hours in all; 523 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 555 as pilot in command; 361 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 6, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,654 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 14, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flightsafety International
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Destination: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 7,319 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.