Piper PA 28-161 accident near Beverly, Massachusetts, September 28, 2008
On September 28, 2008 at about 10:26 pm local time, a Piper PA 28-161, registered N8369A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Beverly, Massachusetts (Beverly Municipal 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent collision with a deer while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2008 · about 10:26 pm local time
- Place
- Beverly, Massachusetts · Beverly Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-161 · all PA 28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8369A · registry record · serial 28-8116198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) of the Piper PA 28-161 stated that he, a student pilot, and a passenger were conducting an instructional flight in actual instrument meteorological conditions. They returned to their home airport on a cross-country flight, and the CFI executed an instrument approach uneventfully. The airplane then landed on runway 16, a 5,001-foot long, 100-foot wide, asphalt runway. About 5 seconds after touch down, while traveling about 50 knots, the CFI observed four or five deer on the right side of the runway. While the other deer scattered away from the runway, one deer ran onto the runway and into the airplane. The CFI swerved the airplane in an attempt to avoid the impact, but was unable. During the impact, the right wing sustained substantial damage.
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 (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 546 hours in all; 377 in this make and model; 213 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 503 as pilot in command; 36 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 9, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,981 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 2008; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASH Nashua NH at 10:04 pm
- Destination: BVY Beverly MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from BVY
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.
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.