Rare: Denver to Wyoming Passenger Jet Hits Deer on Runway

Not many around Northern Colorado even know that there are flights that travel between Denver and Sheridan, Wyoming. A flight in late September of 2026, ended with a rare collision with wildlife that was on the runway.

Flight Landing at Sheridan, Wyoming Airport Hits Mule Deer on Runway

You definitely don't hear about something like a passenger jet/plane hitting an animal on the runway; that's why when I saw the headline from CowboyStateDaily.com, it really caught my attention. While no one on the plane was injured, the mule deer was fatally injured in the rare accident.

How Long Have There Been Flights Between Denver and Sheridan?

The current-day (roughly 90-minute) flights to and from Sheridan from Denver have been in operation since 2015, currently handled by Sky West. Alaska, American, Delta, and United Airlines book flights; it was a United flight that incurred the collision with the deer, with 41 passengers on board the plane that holds 50 passengers.

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CowboyStateDaily.com reports that while there might be one or two deer that make it through/over the fence around the airport each year, they're usually spotted by airport employees checking the landing area throughout the day; this particular deer evaded that detection.

Without question, all the passengers, the crew, and the airport personnel have quite a story to tell for at least a couple of years: That time a United plane hit a deer while coming in for a landing.