What happened
During the landing roll, an aircraft encountered wildlife on the runway. Upon touchdown, the pilot observed one elk running across the runway. A second elk then ran onto the runway and stopped directly in front of the airplane. The animal impacted the nose of the aircraft and subsequently collided with the leading edge of the left wing.
The investigation
The investigation examined the airport's wildlife management and perimeter security. According to the airport facility directory, deer, elk, and antelope are known to inhabit the vicinity of the runway. At the time of the accident, the sun had risen at 0545, and the moon's visible disk was approximately 3 percent illuminated.
The airport's current perimeter consists of three separate fence lines: an outermost electrical fence with upper and lower wires, a second fence approximately 4 feet tall featuring four strands of barbed wire, and an innermost single-strand electrical barbed wire. A post-accident inspection confirmed the electrical fence was operating normally with no breaks detected.
It was noted that while a clearing pass after dark was recommended, the operator stated the company did not instruct its pilots to perform low passes over the runway prior to landing. The company safety officer expressed concern that the high performance of the aircraft created an unsafe situation under these conditions.
Findings
An airport meeting held the day before the accident had approved the installation of a higher fence to prevent wildlife from entering the airport surface area, with completion expected in three months. The last recorded animal strike at this location occurred approximately five years prior to this event.