Cessna 172 accident near Kent, Ohio, March 7, 2018
On March 7, 2018, a 2005 Cessna 172, registered N103KS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kent, Ohio (Kent State Univ airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A deer collided with aircraft during landing at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2018 · cases in 2018
- Place
- Kent, Ohio · Kent State Univ · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2005 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N103KS · registry record · serial 172S10093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during a night landing, he saw "a streak of motion" in his peripheral vision, followed by an impact with the empennage. He regained directional control and taxied clear of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed that a deer struck the horizontal stabilizer, which sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 193 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 22, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,201.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 19, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 6,094 hours total
- Operator: Kent State University
The flight
- Departed from: CAK Akron OH
- Destination: 1G3 Kent OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 18, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N103KS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,686 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,650 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Kent State University Airport · nearest airport
- Akron-Canton Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Ohio 1,884 since 1982 · 253 in the last ten years
- Ohio 8,528 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA18CA150.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.