A pilot landing struck a rabbit causing propeller damage.

Attributes
ACN	796479
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	PA-31P Navajo P
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	796479
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : animal
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

During landing roll with the propeller in beta range after landing at ZZZ; I saw several rabbits running cross the runway in front of my aircraft and one of them collided with an engine propeller blade. During the postflt; I found the propeller blade was bent (approximately 8 inch long from the tip); and that was the only damage to the aircraft. The runway has runway lights and taxiway lights and they were on. I didn't use the foot brakes because the aircraft was still moving fast enough and rabbits were too close to stop. The WX radar was on for mapping and scaring birds; but it did not seem to work to scare rabbits. Low fly over the runway before landing might work.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PILOT LANDING STRUCK A RABBIT CAUSING PROPELLER DAMAGE.

Narrative: DURING LNDG ROLL WITH THE PROP IN BETA RANGE AFTER LNDG AT ZZZ; I SAW SEVERAL RABBITS RUNNING CROSS THE RWY IN FRONT OF MY ACFT AND ONE OF THEM COLLIDED WITH AN ENG PROP BLADE. DURING THE POSTFLT; I FOUND THE PROP BLADE WAS BENT (APPROX 8 INCH LONG FROM THE TIP); AND THAT WAS THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE RWY HAS RWY LIGHTS AND TXWY LIGHTS AND THEY WERE ON. I DIDN'T USE THE FOOT BRAKES BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS STILL MOVING FAST ENOUGH AND RABBITS WERE TOO CLOSE TO STOP. THE WX RADAR WAS ON FOR MAPPING AND SCARING BIRDS; BUT IT DID NOT SEEM TO WORK TO SCARE RABBITS. LOW FLY OVER THE RWY BEFORE LNDG MIGHT WORK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.