Cessna 140 N436DC

Summary

On 25 August 2014 at about 23:15 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N436DC, operated by Heinz Kenneth P, was involved in an accident near Luray, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 2014 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Luray, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Luray Caverns (LUA)

Coordinates

38.6669, -78.5006

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N436DC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

1

Operator

Heinz Kenneth P

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Luray → Luray

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14CA412

Nobody was injured.

A loss of control and subsequent runway excursion while attempting to avoid a collision with a deer on takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was attempting to depart from the runway when a deer suddenly began approaching the runway from the left. He attempted to steer the airplane left to avoid the deer as it crossed, and in the process, the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane as it rolled and struck an embankment and collapsed the main landing gear, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.