In this instance, the safety of flight was not affected. I was able to exit the runway at the next (and only) taxiway and the deer continued into the nearby woods.

A few weeks earlier, my son—a student pilot—was flying at a towered airport 30 miles from our rural home airport. The controller issued a warning about turkeys in the vicinity, reporting that they were nearby but not actually on the runway.

That rapidly changed as my son was about to land: the turkeys suddenly appeared on the runway, nearly at the point of touchdown. This is one reason to always be ready to go around. Fortunately, no animals, humans, or airplanes were harmed.

While we’ve all heard about and/or have seen birds flying or roosting near runways, the examples above are just two of the numerous types of wildlife incursions that can pose a threat to aircraft. Striking birds or other wildlife can lead to serious damage, injuries to passengers or crew, or worse, depending. The FAA estimates that wildlife strikes cost aircraft operators nearly $400 million per year, and the United States Department of Agriculture estimates up to $1 billion in annual costs including direct and indirect impacts. The FAA provides resources to help pilots anticipate and mitigate the risk of wildlife strikes. The FAA Chart Supplement and notams are two sources of wildlife awareness. They provide details of the type of wildlife in the vicinity of the airport, and, in some cases, which specific runway might be affected by the hazard.

Even when there isn’t a warning, wildlife can be present, and you may need to make a quick decision during takeoff or landing as to whether it’s safe to continue. We should always be prepared to go around and not hesitate to employ that option when doing so is safer than continuing with the landing. However, if you experience a wildlife strike during a landing, don’t go around. You don’t know what damage was done and if the airplane is still safe to fly. You should complete the landing and exit the runway.

Wildlife strikes should be reported to the FAA using this form. That information is compiled into a database, which can be found online along with other useful information regarding wildlife mitigation.

To learn from a pilot who experienced a bird strike in flight, check out this Real Pilot Story on the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s website.