[JYO] Deer Strike on Sunday Novemer 9, 2003

Here is an excerpt of the letter that Jim Freal wrote me about his deer 
strike last Sunday.  He asked me to post this to the in the hope of making 
folks a 
little more vigilant, perhaps maybe avoid another deer strike.

Thanks Jim, and I am glad you are OK.

Ed Levine


- - -

This is what happened on Sunday, November 9th. I was returning from a 
cross-country trip from Monmouth, NJ. I arrived at JYO at about 5:45 (final 
approach). I was on an IFR flight plan and was communicating with Potomac 
Tracon until 
about 5 to 10 minutes before landing. I approached from the East and went 
north of the airport to enter a normal 45 degree entry into the downwind for ry 
35. I made sure that the runway lights were on high and that my landing lights 
were on. There were several aircraft in the airport area, either in the pattern 
or on the ground. There was one plane in front of me in the pattern and a 
plane had just departed. I think that the plane in front of me did a touch and 
go. I could see the runway clearly on final and it was clear. Because it was 
night, I couldn't see the grass too well and no one in the pattern made any 
comment about deer. I set up for a normal landing. When I was in the flat phase 
of 
the landing, about 5 feet off the runway, at idle power, I felt a thud on the 
left and had a glimpse of brown for just a spit second. Strangely, I also 
smelled a musky odor. The plane jumped and then yawed and rolled to the left 
slightly. I corrected and landed without incident, although on the rollout I 
heard 
a scraping sound. I cleared the runway and, not noting any damage to the 
engine, returned to the hangar.

I announced the deer strike on the CTAF and the plane that was in the pattern 
did a low pass looking for the deer. He didn't see anything and landed on the 
next pass. Later, a Leesburg Policeman came by and found the deer, injured, 
near the approach end of the runway. He put it out of its misery.

Talking to another pilot later, he said that he made an announcement about 30 
minutes before the incident. He noted that a student in the pattern (172DR?) 
didn't seem as concerned as he ought to be. Unfortunately, when the 
announcement was made, I was still on Potomac Tracon's frequency. Damage to 
plane 
included a damaged wheel skirt and a damaged left flap.

I am guessing that the deer ran on to the runway just as I was passing and so 
I couldn't see it as the plane is a low wing type (Grumman Tiger) and I was 
looking down the runway like a good pilot. I have since heard that the majority 
of deer incidents (mostly car) result from the deer hitting the vehicle and 
not the other way around. The deer sees the lights pass and tries to go behind 
them. The animal does not see the darkened car behind the lights. I assume 
that that is what happened. The deer ran behind my landing lights and hit the 
plane. The person that told me about the deer's tendency to go behind the 
lights 
said that a lot of people leave their dome lights on so that the deer will see 
something lighted behind the main lights. Assuming that this is true, it 
might be a good idea to have lights along the side of the plane or leave a dome 
light on, if it's available and doesn't affect your night vision.

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