Cessna 305 Crash Injures Two

A recent report by the NTSB puts a point on the importance of a thorough overflight for remote airstrips, describing an incident wherein a landing Cessna 305 maneuvered to avoid a deer and botched the maneuvering.

"Just prior to touch down, the pilot saw a deer to his left. As the airplane settled, he corrected to the right to avoid the deer but over-corrected and could not straighten the airplane’s path. He added full power to attempt a go-around maneuver; however, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and collided with a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation."

It could happen to anyone, and the pilot was certainly well enough acquainted with the flying arts. The ATP-rated CFI had more than 12,000 flight hours, more than 10,500 of those as PIC. His 1952 Cessna 305 was coming in to Martin County (MCZ) for a straight-in approach, but the deer's plans resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft and serious injuries to both pilot and passenger. An unfortunate incident, and a bit out of the norm considering the fact that Martin County is a paved, asphalt airstrip. A good lesson that even in the "settled" parts of the country, wildlife has a mind of its own.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov