No fatalities

Airplane Strikes Deer on Runway, Veers Off and Down Embankment

Placerville, CA, United States

On December 2, 2013, a BEECH G35 was involved in an aviation accident near Placerville, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The airplane's collision with a deer on the runway during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that after touchdown, a deer was seen on the runway. Full brakes were applied but the right wing struck the deer, causing substantial damage. The airplane veered off the runway and down an embankment.

Incident Overview

The pilot of an airplane reported that after the aircraft touched down on the runway, a deer was observed on the runway. The pilot determined there was insufficient distance remaining to perform an aborted landing and therefore applied full brakes.

Impact and Evasive Maneuver

Despite the braking action, the right wing of the airplane impacted the deer, resulting in substantial damage to the wing. Following the impact, the airplane veered off the runway and continued down an embankment.

Pilot's Report

The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Ability to respond/compensate