Incident Overview
During the landing roll, the pilot noticed three deer entering the runway from the left side. One deer stopped on the runway centerline, prompting the pilot to steer the airplane to the right to avoid collision. After successfully missing the deer, the pilot lost control of the airplane, causing it to depart the right side of the runway.
Damage and Examination
The airplane subsequently collided with a runway marker sign. A post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures occurred with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that the evasive maneuver to avoid the deer was successful, but control was lost immediately thereafter, leading to the runway excursion and impact with the sign.