Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during a landing approach to a dirt road, he overflew the area and noted a group of cows nearby. He then entered a left-hand pattern for his intended landing area. During the landing flare, the pilot observed a cow approaching the flight path of the airplane from his left to right. He attempted to maneuver the airplane to avoid a collision. Subsequently, the left main landing gear struck the cow, and the airplane immediately veered to the left.
Post-Impact Events
Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to the left, landed hard, bounced, and settled back onto the ground. The pilot examined the airplane and discovered structural damage to the left elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and engine firewall.
Mechanical Status
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.