Cessna 172 N5338N

Summary

On 23 February 2019 at about 23:40 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5338N, operated by Raritan Valley Flying School, was involved in an accident near Princeton, New Jersey, United States. 3 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

23 February 2019 at 23:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Princeton (39N)

Coordinates

40.3992, -74.6589

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5338N

Category

Airplane

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Raritan Valley Flying School

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Princeton → Princeton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

GAA19CA153

Nobody was injured.

A collision with deer on the runway while landing at night and the airport's lack of a complete perimeter fence. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while landing at night, the airplane struck two deer on the runway. He added that he did not see the deer on the runway during the approach and landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Facility Directory for the accident airport, stated, in part, "Deer and birds on and [in the vicinity of the airport]." The pilot stated that the airport's fencing was intermittent and that deer were frequently seen around the airport. The airport manager added that the airport's perimeter fence only covered the eastern and southern perimeter and that a deer strike occurred at least once every 2 years. However, according to the FAA Wildlife Strike Database the last reported wildlife strike at the accident airport occurred on April 10, 2012. The FAA's Part 139 CertAlert, No. 16-03, "Recommended Wildlife Exclusion Fencing," which provides airfield exclusion methods for deer and other large mammals, recommends constructing fencing "fully around the airfield without gaps."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.