Small plane hits, kills 2 elk during Oregon coast landing

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A small airplane struck and killed two elk as it was landing at an airstrip on the Oregon coast.
 
Pilot Todd Rudberg of Shoreline, Washington, was touching down at the Nehalem Bay State Park airstrip Saturday evening when an elk ran in front of his single-engine airplane.
 
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://goo.gl/zwcAAx ) Rudberg tried to speed up and fly over the animal, but the plane’s landing gear and propeller slammed into it. Moments later, a second elk ran in front of the plane and was hit by the plane’s wing.
 
The pilot and his Seattle passenger were not injured. Police said the plane spun to a stop after hitting the animals.
 
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has closed the airstrip and is investigating.
 
A study of animal strikes found that 11 elk have been struck by aircraft between 1990 and 2015.