Flight Instructor reported an animal strike during landing resulting in damage to the propeller.

2025-10 · NASA ASRS report 2291202

Date: 2025-10 · Aircraft: DA40 Diamond Star · Phase: landing

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|ground-event-encounter-person-animal-bird

Synopsis

Flight Instructor reported an animal strike during landing resulting in damage to the propeller.

Narrative

ILS XX Circle XY @ ZZZ. Came in slightly high; added LDG flaps. 3 or 4 knots fast of Vref+10 but well within standard. A safe landing by student pilot (SP) which Flight Instructor (IP) planned to sat [mark as satisfactory] the lesson for afterwards. Plane settled to the runway with main gear down; as nose gear touched down IP and SP saw a large black animal ahead on the runway. Due to very little visibility provided by landing light; it was less than a second from sight to impact. IP prepared for a major collision and took controls as quickly as possible but initially felt nothing. IP made comment about somehow missing the animal and proceeded to taxi off the runway regardless to evaluate the situation. Upon reducing power to slow down; the engine was clearly running poorly. IP identified what felt like an off balance propeller and upon clearing the runway and shutting down the engine; one propeller blade was damaged. IP contacted Maintenance Control and worked through the order of operations to process the incident; and IP and SP towed the plane safely to the ramp; secured and tied it down. Discussion between IP and SP determined that both independently identified the animal as a black bear.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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