Incident Overview
A commercial pilot with 8,521 hours of flight experience reported that during departure from Runway 22, the aircraft struck a deer with the right main landing gear immediately after lift-off. The pilot noted that "deer routinely cross the runway at this spot."
Post-Takeoff Actions
After the reported impact, the pilot experienced some control difficulty and decided to return to the departure airport. To reduce weight, the pilot circled the airport for approximately one hour to burn fuel. Due to a prevailing crosswind, the pilot opted to land at an alternate airport instead.
Landing Gear Collapse
During the landing rollout at the alternate airport, the right main landing gear collapsed. An examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the landing gear showed no indication of having collided with an object or animal on the runway.
Investigation Findings
The FAA inspection did not find any evidence of a collision with a deer or any other object on the runway. The report does not provide additional details about the cause of the landing gear collapse or any other factors related to the incident.