NASA · Aviation Safety Reporting System
PA-28 pilot reported hitting small animal on runway during landing rollout.
What is ASRS?
The Aviation Safety Reporting System is NASA's voluntary, confidential, non- punitive incident-reporting system, established 1976. Pilots, controllers, dispatchers, and maintenance technicians file reports describing safety- relevant events. NASA de-identifies every report before adding it to the public database. Reports are not investigated by NASA, the FAA, or the NTSB — they represent the reporter's perspective.
Pilot narratives
Verbatim from the de-identified NASA record. First-person account by the
reporter. NASA strips identifying details (names, company, specific time);
anonymization placeholders are ZZZ,
X, Y.
Reporter 1
As sole manipulator of the controls I flew the RNAV XX practice approach into ZZZ from ZZZ1 with a safety pilot. Post-landing, during the roll-out phase suddenly several medium sized animals (large racoon, small hog, or similar) appeared on the runway directly in front of the aircraft. I applied heavier brakes while still maintaining directional control, missed one of the animals but impacted the second one with the left main gear. After impact I applied heavy brakes and right rudder to counteract the damaged left main gear which was pulling the aircraft strongly to the left. Came to a stop on the runway left of center line about 200 ft. from impact. No injuries. Unable to taxi off the runway nor push it by hand due to the gear damage, we left the strobes and beacon on and monitored the radio to advise inbound aircraft about the situation on the runway. I informed the local authorities about the situation. An aircraft came in to join the pattern and I signaled them with my flashlight from the runway while my co-pilot got on the radio to advise them of the situation. The aircraft in the pattern relayed our situation to ZZZ Approach, who had been controlling us prior to the incident. Police and fire services showed up with flashing lights on the runway to help advise any inbound traffic that there was an obstacle on the runway. A local pilot showed up with an airport tug vehicle and helped us push the aircraft off of the runway into the grass about 30 ft. west of the runway edge lighting. Contributing factors were the lack of airport fencing as well as decision to fly a straight-in approach into an untowered, rural, unfenced field at night without a low pass to scare away any wildlife which may have been present.
Reporter 2
I was in the right seat and not operating the aircraft. During rollout after touchdown, I saw an animal crossing the runway about 15-25 ft. in front of the aircraft. The PIC immediately began braking and missed the first animal, however, a second animal which looked like a wild boar crossed closely behind and hit the left main gear of the aircraft. The PIC was able to remain on the runway. After coming to a stop, we left the beacon and strobes turned on for visibility, monitored CTAF, and inspected the damage. We were unable to move the aircraft off the runway under its own power or with a hand-powered tow bar. I tried to contact ZZZ Approach and guard as well as the local airport facilities but was unable. After a few minutes, I heard traffic in the pattern and advised them that the runway was unsafe. I asked them to notify ZZZ Approach. I requested police and or fire presence to ensure visible flashing lights on the runway would alert traffic. I believe a primary factor in causing this incident was the lack of fencing at the airport. We did not have a flashlight with the required number of D cell batteries in the aircraft. I do not believe this was a factor as we did have an LED flashlight, but nothing here for protection.
NASA classification — Anomalies
- Aircraft Equipment Problem
- Conflict
- Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural
- Ground Event / Encounter
NASA classification — Assessments
- Contributing Factors / Situations
- Aircraft · Airport · Human Factors
- Primary Problem
- Human Factors
ASRS reports are voluntarily submitted, de-identified by NASA, and represent the reporter's perspective. The presence of reports on a topic cannot be used to infer prevalence in the National Airspace System. The authoritative source is the NASA ASRS Database Online at asrs.arc.nasa.gov ↗.