On 10 Aug 2019, a Cessna 180 J was involved in an aviation accident near Two Harbors, MN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's abrupt maneuver to try and avoid a deer during landing on a grass strip runway, which resulted in a ground loop. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During landing roll on a grass strip, a pilot applied hard brakes to avoid a deer, causing the airplane to skid and ground loop. Substantial damage occurred to the left wing and horizontal stabilizer.
Incident Overview
A pilot reported an incident that occurred during the landing roll on a grass strip runway. According to the pilot, a deer ran across the runway during the landing roll. The pilot stated that she felt the deer was too close to the airplane to initiate a go-around, so she applied the brakes hard. This caused the airplane to skid to the right and subsequently ground loop.
Damage Assessment
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and horizontal stabilizer as a result of the ground loop.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Contributing factors
Effect on operationAbility to respond/compensatePilot