Cessna 500 accident near Sandusky, Ohio, August 11, 2002
On August 11, 2002 at about 1:16 am local time, a Cessna 500, registered N688CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandusky, Ohio (Griffing Sandusky Airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A 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
- August 11, 2002 · about 1:16 am local time
- Place
- Sandusky, Ohio · Griffing Sandusky Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N688CF · no longer on the register · serial 147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff at night, while rotating, a deer crossed the runway and impacted the nose gear of the airplane. The pilot continued the takeoff and diverted to a larger airport. With the nose gear partially extended, the airplane landed at the larger airport, and came to rest on the fork of the nose gear. The airplane sustained damage to the bottom fuselage, forward pressure bulkhead, and nose gear.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,456 hours in all; 555 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 7,970 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 2, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,483 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 29, 2001; 115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,850 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT151A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT151A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SKY Sandusky OH at 1:16 am
- Destination: DWU Ashland KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 3,559 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.