A private jet in Florida was forced to make an emergency landing after striking multiple deer during takeoff, the Federal Aviation Administration has said.
The Cessna Citation hit the animals on Tuesday evening while departing from North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, according to the FAA. The aircraft, carrying seven passengers and bound for Cincinnati, then diverted to Palm Beach International Airport, where it landed safely just after 7.30pm. No injuries were reported.
In air traffic control audio reviewed by local media, the pilot reported hitting “four or five deer on the nose gear and possibly on the wings” and asked controllers to notify the departure airport of deer on the runway. Controllers adjusted traffic to accommodate the emergency landing, with a United Airlines pilot later confirming the report over the radio.
Pilot Michael Leighton described the incident as “extremely rare”, comparing it to being struck by lightning or bitten by a shark. “You could fly your whole life … I've got 16,000 flight hours ... and I've never hit an animal with an airplane,” he told local broadcaster WPBF. He noted that aircraft cannot swerve like cars at high speed during takeoff, as their range of motion is limited.
