Piper PA28 accident near Rolla, Missouri, June 28, 2018
On June 28, 2018 at about 2:00 am local time, a 1976 Piper PA28, registered N7104F, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Rolla, Missouri (Rolla National 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
A collision with a deer on the runway during the takeoff roll at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2018 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Rolla, Missouri · Rolla National · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 151, built 1976 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N7104F · registry record · serial 28-7715197
- 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, during the takeoff roll at night with the student pilot on the controls, the airplane's left wing struck a deer on the runway. They maneuvered the airplane off the runway without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory, Airport Remarks, for the accident airport stated, in part, that there is wildlife on and in the vicinity of the airport.
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
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 1,805 as pilot in command; 1,092 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 15, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,286.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E3D (piston); 7,287 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIH Rolla MO at 2:00 am
- Destination: VIH Rolla MO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KVIH
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 GAA18CA402.