NTSB CHI03LA193 — 2003-06-29 · Plymouth, Indiana, United States

Current FAA registration · N3832R

Make / Model: CESSNA 172H
Year of manufacture: 1966 · 37 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19661018
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A4691D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3832R Cessna 172H None

Probable cause & findings

The collision with a deer during landing.

Factual narrative

On June 29, 2003, at 1940 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172H, N3832R, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a deer while landing on runway 28 (4,400 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) at Plymouth Municipal Airport (C65), Plymouth, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and his passenger were uninjured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The flight departed Warsaw Municipal Airport, Warsaw, Indiana, at 1915 with an intended destination of the Griffith-Merrillville Airport, Griffith, Indiana. The pilot stated he landed normally and the deer "darted" onto the runway impacting the airplane's right stabilizer and elevator tip. The stabilizer was bent upward and aft, and the tail section of the airplane was bent about 30 degrees to the left. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or defects. The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a deer while landing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2003_CHI03LA193.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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