Incident Overview
During a night landing, the pilot observed "a streak of motion" in their peripheral vision, immediately followed by an impact to the empennage. After the collision, the pilot regained directional control and taxied the aircraft clear of the runway.
Postaccident Findings
A subsequent examination revealed that a deer had struck the horizontal stabilizer, resulting in substantial damage to that component. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Conclusion
The event was attributed to a wildlife strike involving a deer, which impacted the horizontal stabilizer during the landing phase.