Pilot and safety pilot of a light twin aircraft reported returning to departure airport for a safe landing after striking a deer on takeoff. Post flight inspection showed damage to the left propeller.
Synopsis
Pilot and safety pilot of a light twin aircraft reported returning to departure airport for a safe landing after striking a deer on takeoff. Post flight inspection showed damage to the left propeller.
Narrative
For this flight; we filed IFR PNE-ZZZ1. I was the pilot flying and the right seat pilot was pilot monitoring and PIC. I am not current in this aircraft and was splitting rental time to build multi engine hours. We lined up on Runway 6 after receiving takeoff clearance. After applying full power; the engine instruments were checked and normal parameters were verified. The airspeed came alive; and right after rotation speed 72kts; something ran across the runway from my right to left. I thought it might have been a deer. I did not feel a bump; and did not know for sure if we had struck something; so I continued with rotation and climbed out with full power. Both engines were running in normal parameters but that's when we noticed a slight vibration. Some right rudder trim and right aileron input was needed. The right seat pilot spoke with tower to advise them of what happened and our intention to return to land. Tower cleared us to land runway 15 and we made left traffic for runway 15. After landing on runway 15; we brought the plane to a stop and it started shaking violently; after slow down and complete stop; both engines masters were turned off at this point and the shaking stopped. I observed two broken propeller blades on the left engine and all electronics were turned off after confirming with tower that we were stopped on the runway.
Second reporter narrative
We got cleared for take off from tower; we set up on runway 6 for takeoff. Brakes set; applied 50% power on throttle to check engine instruments green; then applied full power. I was right seat monitoring runway; monitoring engine instruments. I was watching airspeeds for takeoff speed when pilot in left seat called out rotation airspeed; we saw 72kts and called out rotate; started rotation & that's when we felt something different; and left seat reported something off the left side of airplane; assuming it was a deer and we had just hit it. Continued the climb since we were in rotation; this was a night departure; if there were more on the runway; we did not know; and engines indicated green. We did not feel a large impact; and there was no noticeable reduction to climb performance immediately. There was no indication of engine failure. We continued the climb for safety of flight to get away from unsafe area; and that's when we noticed a change to the aircraft. I immediately called tower once we had rotated and told them we hit a deer; and requested clearance to land; reporting we had hit what we thought was a deer. A brief conversation with tower; I chose runway 15 to favor winds. Winds were called out 110. We got clearance to land 15 when able. We reduced power on left engine to see if that would help shaking; it didn't change noticeably; and engine was still running. We immediately started turning left to join downwind back to runway 15 for landing. We maintained above 82kts for safe airspeed and returned to land 15. Verified gear down; Flaps app; landing flaps; landed and plane was shaking violently. We stopped on runway as safely and quickly as possible; it was impossible to turn; plane was full idle and plane was still shaking. We shut engines down with engine masters. That's when we saw broken prop on left side. We got out to inspect; noticed animal hair and blood on wing as well. This whole event from rotation to landing was 3 minutes of flight.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.