Incident Overview
A flight instructor and two student pilots departed on a night cross-country flight. After completing a full stop landing at the destination airport, they taxied back to the runway for additional pattern work. During the takeoff roll, as the student pilot in the left seat began to rotate the airplane, the flight instructor observed an animal directly ahead on the runway centerline. The instructor took control of the aircraft in an attempt to avoid the animal, and a "bang" was heard as the airplane passed over what was later identified as a deer.
Post-Strike Observations
Following the strike, the flight instructor noted that the left rudder pedal felt "looser" than normal and that no brake pressure was detected in the left toe brake. The instructor performed several low passes over the runway, and the control tower confirmed that the left landing gear was not in its normal position.
Landing and Aftermath
The flight instructor subsequently decided to land the airplane. During the landing rollout, the left wing struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest on the runway. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left landing gear had separated, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar. According to the flight instructor, no mechanical anomalies were present prior to the deer strike.