What happened
During a night flight, the pilot was in the middle of the takeoff run when an object suddenly appeared to the right of the aircraft's nose. In an attempt to avoid the object, the pilot applied maximum back pressure on the controls. During this maneuver, the pilot felt a thud against the underside of the aircraft.
Following the impact, the pilot focused on maintaining the aircraft's airborne status and performed a check of the flight controls, which all appeared to be functioning correctly. The pilot then flew around the airport perimeter to inspect the runway surface for any debris or obstructions. Finding nothing visible on the runway, the pilot continued the flight to the destination. Upon arrival at the destination airport, the pilot was informed that the object struck during takeoff was a pedestrian.