Rescue

Airplane Lands Safely in Fla. After Hitting Deer

Oct. 20, 2010

TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- A single-engine airplane made a lop-sided landing after it hit a deer during takeoff Monday night at Space Coast Regional Airport. After burning a third of its three-hour fuel supply, the low-winged Piper PA-28 touched the pavement of the airport's longest runway at 10:30 p.m. It tilted to its side -- the crippled wheel skidding underneath -- and the left wing scraped "for a bit," said Battalion Chief Scott Gaenicke of the Titusville Fire Department.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. --

A single-engine airplane made a lop-sided landing after it hit a deer during takeoff Monday night at Space Coast Regional Airport.

After burning a third of its three-hour fuel supply, the low-winged Piper PA-28 touched the pavement of the airport's longest runway at 10:30 p.m. It tilted to its side -- the crippled wheel skidding underneath -- and the left wing scraped "for a bit," said Battalion Chief Scott Gaenicke of the Titusville Fire Department.

The plane's pilot and its two passengers walked away. No sparks flew. No fuel leaked from the 21-year-old plane that's registered to Flight Safety International in Fort Pierce.

"All the circling gave the pilot some time to come up with a game plan," Gaenicke told Local 6 News partner Florida Today. "He made the decision about what to do and when to do it. He made an excellent landing."

As the plane flew for an hour, a Kennedy Space Center fire truck specially designed to handle airport emergencies and crews from Brevard County Fire-Rescue responded to help Titusville firefighters. Personnel on the ground tried to spot problems with the aircraft as it made several low passes near the control tower.

"We've handled these situations in the daytime, but it was hard to tell if it was damaged because it was dark," said Lt. Todd Hutchinson of the Titusville Police Department. "You just can't see it."

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, focusing on issues such as whether the pilot could tell from indicator lights that the plane was damaged.

"It was bad enough to where that gear was collapsed, causing the plane to lean over when it landed," Gaenicke said. "But it appeared to be mostly cosmetic damage to the wing."

The deer died near the runway. Gaenicke said the entire airport property is lined with a 9-foot fence. There is a significant wooded area inside, however.

"We all hear about aircraft striking birds, but to my recollection, I have not heard of a deer strike," Gaenicke said. "How and when it got onto the field, who knows?"