Runway incursion during takeoff roll.... Deer!

[0TreeLemur]

In anticipation of an IFR cross country tomorrow in our "new" J, I did an IPC this evening with my favorite CFII and fellow Mooniac @jwaviator.   On takeoff roll from a small field (3M8), I looked at the ASI and saw it was time to pull back on the stick.   Just then he says "DEER!  DEER!".

I look up, there is a gaggle of them crossing the runway from right to left, pretty much oblivious to the M20J hurtling towards them.  Instinctively I pulled back hard on the stick!   I'm not sure how far above them we passed, but it wasn't very far.   We heard no thuds.

I've seen deer on runways while approaching to land, but this is the first time I've had them cross my path during the takeoff roll.   Amazing how it worked out.   We had the airspeed to get over them!

 

[takair]

Glad you missed them!  They make a mess of themselves and the plane when they come together.

[Fly Boomer]

19 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I've seen deer on runways while approaching to land, but this is the first time I've had them cross my path during the takeoff roll.   Amazing how it worked out.   We had the airspeed to get over them!

Wish we had instant gear retraction for situations like that.  You probably didn't have time for anything but the pull up.

[0TreeLemur]

49 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Wish we had instant gear retraction for situations like that.  You probably didn't have time for anything but the pull up.

Correct.  The ASI just reached 60 KIAS.  I didn't hesitate to pull back hard.  Stall horn never went off.   I don't think I could have reached the gear handle before we were past them.

[takair]

In spite of hanging out and judging takeoffs a lot, dear don’t seem to understand accelerate-stop distances.  Like the ultimate game of chicken, they pick a spot where you can’t stop and can barely fly.  I’ve had a friend and a customer both hit dear under similar circumstances and both had to keep flying.  Oddly and luckily, neither had a prop strike, but both planes were a mess.  One required some extensive wing work and new paint.  Need to add those old school bumper whistles to the plane.  Apparently the bark of a 360 isn’t enough.

[Ragsf15e]

In pilot training, one of my classmates had an armadillo strike in a T-37 during a touch and go.  Those things can do surprising damage.  I think a deer could total your airplane depending on where you hit it!

[MooneyMitch]

You are one lucky fella!!!  Congratulations! 

[rickseeman]

When Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys his Lear 35 took over as a taxi cab moving people around. It landed in rural Alabama I believe, at dusk, hitting a deer at touchdown. He goes full reverse of course. Then things got strange. The deer had sheared off the squat switch so the airplane thinks it's in the air and the reversers wouldn't deploy. This left the engines wide open going forward. The pilot, I think his name was Eddie, is trying to slow down but the airplane is speeding up. A terrible crash resulted. Hitting a deer with an airplane is a very bad thing. It's hard to protect ourselves. We are looking at the runway environment for hazards and deer run across the runway perpendicular so we can't see them until it's too late. I'm glad your story didn't have a bad ending.

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, rickseeman said:

When Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys his Lear 35 took over as a taxi cab moving people around. It landed in rural Alabama I believe, at dusk, hitting a deer at touchdown. He goes full reverse of course. Then things got strange. The deer had sheared off the squat switch so the airplane thinks it's in the air and the reversers wouldn't deploy. This left the engines wide open going forward. The pilot, I think his name was Eddie, is trying to slow down but the airplane is speeding up. A terrible crash resulted. Hitting a deer with an airplane is a very bad thing. It's hard to protect ourselves. We are looking at the runway environment for hazards and deer run across the runway perpendicular so we can't see them until it's too late. I'm glad your story didn't have a bad ending.

Maybe @OSUAV8TER can help with some landing horns.  If the landing light threw a broad enough beam, I could replace my taxi light with the horn.  I'd have to change my panel switch too.

[GeeBee]

Heeeaaadlights!

 

[LANCECASPER]

Very expensive way to make venison sausage.

[Pinecone]

Somewhere recently is a video of an RV on takeoff that hits a deer.  Not a nice sound

[A64Pilot]

A pig is worse, like hitting a stump. Marine C-12 hit one at Hunter Army Airfield, right prop got it, we were told a Crew Chief had walked into it, whole right side of the aircraft was covered in blood, did quite a lot of damage. Later found out it was a pig. Some are black and pretty much invisible at night.

As I frequent grass strips and small non towered airports almost exclusively. I’ve had to go missed and abort for Deer, pigs, turkeys and Coyotes.

Big birds are the worst, because the Damn things can fly and some can out climb you.

In Central Fl it’s Sand Hill Cranes, big STUPID birds about 3’ tall, they takeoff straight up. Turkeys are smart, they usually run off to the side in plenty of time.

[Guest]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:02 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

In anticipation of an IFR cross country tomorrow in our "new" J, I did an IPC this evening with my favorite CFII and fellow Mooniac @jwaviator.   On takeoff roll from a small field (3M8), I looked at the ASI and saw it was time to pull back on the stick.   Just then he says "DEER!  DEER!".

I look up, there is a gaggle of them crossing the runway from right to left, pretty much oblivious to the M20J hurtling towards them.  Instinctively I pulled back hard on the stick!   I'm not sure how far above them we passed, but it wasn't very far.   We heard no thuds.

I've seen deer on runways while approaching to land, but this is the first time I've had them cross my path during the takeoff roll.   Amazing how it worked out.   We had the airspeed to get over them!

 

Glad the sleigh wasn’t attached to the deer, the outcome might have been worse.

[GeeBee]

I was on takeoff roll at KLEX in a 737 right at dawn. I saw these two eyes come out on the runway in the landing light beams. It was a coyote. I am sure he thought he found the biggest deer he had ever seen. Then he realized his mistake, he started to run back, too late, then he turned around to run forward, too late. I could not abort, too late. I rotated early, advanced the thrust which put the nose wheel over him and he hunkered down and split the mains. He survived. I was laughing so hard because this scene came to my mind.

[hais]

Perhaps someone should build a device that translate CTAF to ultrasound 

[GeeBee]

I my area would not work. The deer come into my yard, lay down and watch me unload groceries from my car and we hunt the dickens out of them in season.

 

 

[jlunseth]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:02 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

In anticipation of an IFR cross country tomorrow in our "new" J, I did an IPC this evening with my favorite CFII and fellow Mooniac @jwaviator.   On takeoff roll from a small field (3M8), I looked at the ASI and saw it was time to pull back on the stick.   Just then he says "DEER!  DEER!".

I look up, there is a gaggle of them crossing the runway from right to left, pretty much oblivious to the M20J hurtling towards them.  Instinctively I pulled back hard on the stick!   I'm not sure how far above them we passed, but it wasn't very far.   We heard no thuds.

I've seen deer on runways while approaching to land, but this is the first time I've had them cross my path during the takeoff roll.   Amazing how it worked out.   We had the airspeed to get over them!

 

The big problem with deer is that they try to jump over oncoming vehicles. They are pretty good jumpers, they can clear a 6 foot fence. They like to jump just when you decide to do the hard pull..........

[Pinecone]

20 hours ago, jlunseth said:

The big problem with deer is that they try to jump over oncoming vehicles. They are pretty good jumpers, they can clear a 6 foot fence. They like to jump just when you decide to do the hard pull..........

Actually had a deer jump over a race car (sport racer type, not production based) at my home track.