NTSB Identification: ERA13LA061
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 17, 2012 in Greenwood, SC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/13/2014
Aircraft: CESSNA 550, registration: N6763L
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
About 5 seconds after the airplane touched down, a deer ran out of the nearby woods into the path of the airplane. The deer struck the airplane at the leading edge of the left wing above the left main landing gear and ruptured an adjacent fuel cell. The pilot was able to maintain directional control and stopped the airplane on the runway; however, the airplane was spilling fuel and on fire. The pilots performed an emergency shutdown of the airplane and egressed without injury. The airplane was subsequently consumed by the postcrash fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Collision with a deer during the landing roll, which resulted in a compromised fuel tank and a postimpact fire.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On November 17, 2012, about 1145 eastern standard time, a Cessna 550, N6763L, registered to the United States Customs Service, and operated by Stevens Aviation, Inc., was substantially damaged during collision with a deer after landing on Runway 9 at Greenwood County Airport (GRD), Greenwood, South Carolina. The airplane was subsequently consumed by postcrash fire. The two certificated airline transport pilots were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the maintenance test flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to conduct a test of the autopilot and flight director systems on board the airplane, following a "cockpit modernization" their company had performed. The airplane completed the NDB/GPS RWY 27 instrument approach procedure and then circled to land on Runway 9. About 5 seconds into the landing rollout, a deer appeared from the wood line and ran into the path of the airplane. The deer struck the airplane at the leading edge of the left wing above the left main landing gear, and ruptured an adjacent fuel cell.
The pilot was able to maintain directional control, and the airplane was stopped on the runway, spilling fuel and on fire. The crew performed an emergency shutdown of the airplane and egressed without injury.Greenwood County Airport did not have a fire station co-located on the airport facility. The fixed base operator called 911 at the time of the accident, and the fire trucks arrived approximately 10 minutes after notification.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal AviationAdministartion (FAA) first-class medical certificate was issued on March 12, 2012. The pilot reported 11,592 total hours of flight experience, of which 903 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.
The copilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 11, 2012. The pilot reported 4,501 total hours of flight experience, of which 13 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane was manufactured in 1991, and its most recent Approved Aircraft Inspection Program (AAIP) inspection was completed November 16, 2012, at 8,611 total aircraft hours.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
At 1156, the weather reported at GRD included clear skies, 10 miles of visibility, and winds from 030 degrees at 10 knots. The temperature was 13 degrees C and the dew point was -3 degrees C.
WRECKAGE INFORMATION
Following the accident, the crew provided photographs of the intact airplane spilling fuel and on fire, the fire-consumed airplane wreckage after the fire was extinguished, and the remains of the deer.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In a telephone interview, the manager of the Greenwood County Airport explained that Greenwood was not an FAR Part 139 Airport, and while there was no published Wildlife Management Program for the airport, she had been very proactive about eradicating wildlife that could pose a hazard to safety on the airport property, primarily deer and wild turkey. She contacted the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for guidance and advice and she attended a wildlife management course. Among the suggestions offered by the USDA, was to remove the deer habitat. The manager proposed adding the area between the runway and taxiway to an approach clearing project in order to reduce the habitat. The manager worked with a local charity and local hunters with depredation permits to take deer on the airport property, and their efforts averaged 50 deer a year. The hunts were conducted in stands away from runways and on property not aviation related. The nearest deer stand was 1 mile from the runway, and the hunters fired only shotguns. The hunts were conducted between the hours of 0700 and 1000. On the morning of the accident, the last shot was fired at 0930.When asked why the hunters were still on the property at the time of the accident, the manager said they had stayed to eat lunch, and repeated that the hunt was long over and that the last shot was fired hours before the accident. She offered that the deer struck by the airplane was probably flushed from the woods by another deer or a coyote, whose population has also grown in recent years.After the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration contacted the state and had the Greenwood County Airport added to a list of airports where funding for improvements had been allotted. A second 10-foot perimeter fence was added around the existing 6-foot fence, and since its construction only 4 deer have been taken inside the perimeter, and no wild turkeys have been sighted.
NTSB Identification: ERA13LA061
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 17, 2012 in Greenwood, SC
Aircraft: CESSNA 550, registration: N6763L
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 17, 2012, about 1145 eastern standard time, a Cessna 550, N6763L, registered to the United States Customs Service, and operated by Stevens Aviation, Inc., was substantially damaged during collision with a deer after landing on Runway 9 at Greenwood County Airport (GRD), Greenwood, South Carolina. The airplane was subsequently consumed by post-crash fire. The 2 certificated airline transport pilots were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the maintenance test flight which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to conduct a test of the autopilot and flight director systems on board the airplane following a "cockpit modernization" their company had performed. The airplane completed the NDB/GPS RWY 27 instrument approach procedure and then circled to land on Runway 9. About 5 seconds into the landing rollout, a deer appeared from the wood line and ran into the path of the airplane. The deer struck the airplane at the leading edge of the left wing above the left main landing gear, and ruptured an adjacent fuel cell.
The pilot was able to maintain directional control, and the airplane was stopped on the runway, spilling fuel and on fire. The crew performed an emergency shutdown of the airplane and egressed without injury.
The airplane was manufactured in 1991, and its most recent Approved Aircraft Inspection Program (AAIP) inspection was completed November 16, 2012, at 8,611 total aircraft hours.
GREENWOOD COUNTY, S.C. -- A small plane burst into flames at the Greenwood County Airport, after it hit a deer while landing.
Airport officials say the deer hit the left wing of the aircraft, causing the fuel in the tank to shoot into the engine, which caused the jet to catch fire. The two pilots inside were able to get out unharmed.
The Greenwood Sheriff’s Office says the incident occurred just before noon on Saturday.
The jet fire along with a small patch of grass was put out by multiple fire trucks.
The nose of the aircraft is the only thing left of the plane.
WYFF News 4 (With Photo): http://www.wyff4.com
WSPA 7 News (With Video and Photos): http://www2.wspa.com
Fox Carolina Article: http://www.foxcarolina.com
GREENWOOD, S.C. — A deer ran into the path of a plane that was landing, causing the plane to crash and burn at the Greenwood County Airport late Saturday morning.
Greenwood County Sheriff Tom Davis told WYFF News 4 that the crash happened at about 11:30 a.m.
"Early into the landing, the deer ran across the runway," Davis said. "The pilot said he felt a bump, looked behind and saw the plane on fire."
Greenwood County Volunteer Fire Chief Woody Owensby said the pilot and a passenger escaped without injury. The deer was killed.
Davis could not identify the type of plane or where it came from, but said that it carried sophisticated surveillance equipment that can be used in a variety of operations -- including border control and marijuana eradication operations.
"It's a big loss," Davis said. "You can just see a big pile of ash where a plane once sit. I'm told it had a full tank of fuel and every bit of it was burned up."
Davis said the plane traveled several hundred yards after bursting into flames. After coming to a stop, Davis said the people on board exited quickly.
"They're very lucky," Davis said.
A jet has crashed and burst into flames at the Greenwood Airport.
A Cessna Citation II was attempting to land after a training flight when a deer jumped out in front of the jet.
Airport officials say the deer impacted the left wing of the aircraft causing the fuel in the tank to shoot into the engine, which caused the jet to catch fire. The two pilots inside were able to get out unharmed before the jet burst into flames.
The Greenwood Sheriff’s Office says the incident occurred just before noon on Saturday.
The jet fire along with a small patch of grass was put out by multiple fire trucks.
The nose of the aircraft is the only thing left of the plane.
GREENWOOD, SC (FOX Carolina) - Authorities said two people escaped a fiery plane crash without injuries in Greenwood on Saturday morning.
A captain with the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office said a Border Patrol plane was landing about 11:50 a.m. at the Greenwood County Airport off of Airport Road when it struck a deer. He said the deer ruptured the fuel tank, sparking a large fire and completely destroying the plane.
The fire caused a large grass and woods fire, and firefighters were working to get the fire under control, deputies said.
No injuries were reported in the crash.
Federal Aviation Administration officials will investigate the crash. They said the plane was a Cessna C550.
