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Finding a Deer in the Headlights

An evening outing turned into a near miss for a Seattle-area pilot.

[Credit: Joel Kimmel]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A pilot seeking night currency discovered significant rustiness in their instrument flying skills during preparatory "under the hood" practice, highlighting the need for regular training.
  • During a night flight to Jefferson County International (JeffCo), both the pilot and CFI found the airport challenging due to its "black hole" environment surrounded by dark forests.
  • The flight included a critical near-miss with two deer on the runway during a night takeoff attempt at JeffCo, forcing an emergency stop and underscoring severe wildlife hazards.
  • The incident reinforced the heightened risks of night flying, particularly at less-lit airports, leading the pilot to decide against future night operations at JeffCo.
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Out in the Seattle area, it doesn’t get dark until late during the summer months, so if you want to be night current, it requires staying up pretty late. It was a little easier on September 8 a couple of years ago, with sunset happening around 7:30-ish and “night” falling an hour later… still late for an early riser like me.

Since I was planning a flight the following week during the day from Paine Field (KPAE) in Everett, Washington, to Jefferson County International Airport (0S9) to take a taxi into Port Townsend, then fly back to Paine after dark, I needed to get night current. Having not flown at night much over the last couple of years, I thought that I would prepare in advance.

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