Cessna 172 accident near Kinston, North Carolina, March 5, 2023
On March 5, 2023, a 1966 Cessna 172, registered N2527L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Kinston, North Carolina (Kinston Regional Jetport At St airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s impact with two deer while performing a takeoff at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2023
- Place
- Kinston, North Carolina · Kinston Regional Jetport At St · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 H, built 1966 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2527L · registry record · serial 17255727
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that while performing a touch-and-go landing at night, just prior to rotation speed, the pilot receiving instruction noticed a deer coming from the infield area. The flight instructor also saw a deer and heard a “clump” noise. The flight instructor reduced the engine power to idle and exited the runway. After taxiing to the ramp, the pilot and flight instructor noted damage to the airplane and subsequently airport operations personnel found one deceased and one injured deer near the landing runway. The deer strike resulted in substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,790 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command; 270 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 12, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 339 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 291 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,325 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 805 hours total
- Operator: Mast Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: W78 South Boston VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 11,498 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from ISO, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KISO 060056Z 18007KT 10SM CLR 12/05 A3022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA23LA152.