PA-23 Apache/Geronimo Apache
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 1500; Flight Crew Type 400
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related
Cross country to ZZZ. While at ZZZ performing my flare to land but prior to the mains touching down; 3 deer ran across the runway from right to left and directly under my plane. I immediately and simultaneously added power and pulled the nose up to go around but was not able to completely clear the animals. I heard and felt a significant double impact under the plane while initiating the go around. Immediately following the loud double impact; I instinctively looked at the mirror on my right engine and saw the nose gear 'dangling' back and forth freely. At that moment; I opted to abort the go around; I retarded the throttles to idle and landed roughly 1000 feet down the runway. As expected the nose gear completely collapsed.
PA23-250 pilot reported hitting a deer on runway in the landing flare.