PVT PLT OF A BEECH SUNDOWNER BE23 STRUCK A DEER DURING A NIGHT LNDG CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ACFT'S R WING AND LNDG GEAR.

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INCIDENT BEING RPTED IS A DEER STRIKE INVOLVING BEECH SUNDOWNER; MODEL C23 AT AFJ; PA; ON NOV/XA/97 AT APPROX SB40. CONDITIONS WERE VFR; VISIBILITY EXCEEDING 15 MI; LIGHT SW WINDS; APPROX 4 KTS. I WAS COMPLETING A NIGHT LNDG ON RWY 27 AT APPROX 2 FT AGL WHEN I STRUCK A DEER STANDING JUST R OF CTRLINE WITH MY R MAIN LNDG GEAR. THE ELT WAS IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED; AND I CONTINUED THE LNDG UNEVENTFULLY. I FIRST CONTACTED ALTOONA FSS AND ALERTED THEM THAT AN ELT SIGNAL THEY WERE RECEIVING FROM AFJ WAS NOT AN ACFT ACCIDENT BUT WAS AN APPARENT DEER STRIKE. NEXT; I PROCEEDED TO DEACTIVATE THE ELT AND RETURNED TO THE BEGINNING OF THE RWY TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS IN FACT A DEER; WHICH IT WAS. I CONTACTED ALTOONA FSS AGAIN AND REQUESTED THAT THEY PUT A NOTAM OUT FOR A DEAD DEER IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF RWY 27 AT AFJ. UPON INSPECTION OF THE ACFT; THERE IS SOME WRINKLING OF THE SKIN STARTING AT THE LEADING EDGE ABOUT 3 FT OUT FROM THE WING ROOT ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. THIS DID NOT INVOLVE A PROP STRIKE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES IN THE ACFT AND NO LOSS OF CTL. A RPT IS BEING FILED WITH THE LCL FSDO OFFICE AND MY INSURANCE CARRIER.