Aviation Authorities In Upper Midwest Worried About Plane-Deer Collisions

When you're driving down a dark road and are suddenly confronted by a deer, frozen in your headlights, chances are you'll survive but the deer won't.

Those chances are very different in an airplane.

For the first time in decades, a deer and an airplane collided at the Muskegon County Airport (MI). The Muskegon Chronicle reports there were no serious injuries -- apart from those suffered by the deer. It may not be a frequent occurrence, but it was enough to convince federal officials that the airport needs a fence to keep out plane-pounding critters. The FAA has ordered Muskegon County to install a ten foot high fence around the perimeter of the airport by the end of 2004. That could cost as much as $600,000.

County Administrator James Borushko isn't too pleased with the mandate. "We recognize there's a concern, we want to address it and we will," Borushko said. "But a 10-foot fence is pretty ugly. Is this an airport or Alcatraz?"

Last month's collision involved said deer and a Skyways Airlines flight with two crew and ten passengers on board. While the aircraft wasn't moving very fast, the smack-down with Bambi caused extensive damage. Now, maintenance crews have to overhaul one of its turboprop engines and the enginemount.

"Anytime you have an accident like that, you have to tear down the engine and rebuild it, just as a precaution," said Asst. Airport Director Marty Piette, who doesn't think the airport experienced a deer-related incident since the mid-1980s.

So who pays for the fence? Piette says the FAA could purchase the barrier by using "discretionary funding," but probably won't. Looks like this one will be on the local taxpayers' tab.

"We're not questioning the need for safety," Borushko said. "The question is whether 10 feet is the appropriate height. We need input from the DNR. Will 8 feet do the job and save the taxpayer money?"

FMI: www.muskegonairport.com/index.cfm