What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The PIC was on an IFR approach an hour past sunset. As the pilot flared to land, her right wing strobe light briefly illuminated a deer which was running from the right of the runway directly towards the runway. The pilot initiated a go-around short of touchdown, but the deer struck the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer. On go-around the PIC observed reduced climb performance and right yaw but felt she maintained control of the aircraft. The pilot considered returning to land but decided to divert to an airport ten miles away after suspecting there may be more deer activity or a dead deer on the runway surface. She felt that airport lighting did not allow for a safe landing. The pilot notified ATC that she had a deer strike and requested to divert. ATC granted the request. The PIC landed without further incident. There were no noted human injuries or property damage. Substantial damage occurred to the right horizontal stabilizer’s leading edge, ribs, spar, and upper and lower surfaces.
As the FAA filed it
THE PIC WAS ON AN IFR APPROACH AN HOUR PAST SUNSET. AS THE PILOT FLARED TO LAND, HER RIGHT WING STROBE LIGHT BRIEFLY ILLUMINATED A DEER WHICH WAS RUNNING FROM THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND SHORT OF TOUCHDOWN, BUT THE DEER STRUCK THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. ON GO-AROUND THE PIC OBSERVED REDUCED CLIMB PERFORMANCE AND RIGHT YAW BUT FELT SHE MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT CONSIDERED RETURNING TO LAND BUT DECIDED TO DIVERT TO AN AIRPORT TEN MILES AWAY AFTER SUSPECTING THERE MAY BE MORE DEER ACTIVITY OR A DEAD DEER ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE. SHE FELT THAT AIRPORT LIGHTING DID NOT ALLOW FOR A SAFE LANDING. THE PILOT NOTIFIED ATC THAT SHE HAD A DEER STRIKE AND REQUESTED TO DIVERT. ATC GRANTED THE REQUEST. THE PIC LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO NOTED HUMAN INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER’S LEADING EDGE, RIBS, SPAR, AND UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.