Beech BE-23 accident near Louisa, Virginia, April 8, 2002
On April 8, 2002 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech BE-23, registered N2375Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisa, Virginia (Louisa County/Freeman Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's inadvertent collision with a deer while landing at night. A factor in the accident was the night condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2002 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Louisa, Virginia · Louisa County/Freeman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-23
- Registration
- N2375Z · registry record · serial M-99
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing at night, a deer struck the right side of the airplane which buckled the fuselage and substantially damaged the horizontal stabilizer.
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: 900 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 840 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,151 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 2001; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming L-5257-39 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W75 Saluda VA at 1:10 am
- Destination: LKU Louisa VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 4,301 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 1:12 am from LKU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.