Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4.3; Flight Crew Total 645.5; Flight Crew Type 567.9
Ground Event / Encounter Person / Animal / Bird; Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Aircraft; Environment - Non Weather Related
While doing complete stop landings for night currency; and on last landing at touchdown; I hit a coyote with the right main gear and the gear broke off about 17' up from the wheel/brake assembly just under the passenger step used to enter the aircraft. Kept the aircraft under control and down the runway on nose wheel and left main wheel until airspeed started to bleed off. Then turned it between runway lights onto a grass area and it came on down onto the broken off stub. Pulled power to idle/mixture cutoff and prop to 90 degree horizontal so as not to strike the prop. Aircraft went straight until broken strut caught in higher grass and turned the aircraft 90 degrees to the runway behind the runway lights. Did a runway walk and found the dead coyote just right of the center line about 1;000 FT from approach end of Runway 29. The broken off wheel assembly with the broken portion of the strut attached was about 40 FT off the right side of the runway about 200 FT from where the coyote was struck. Cleared the runway and called for help to remove the aircraft. Local fire department came over along with 2 individuals from the flying club. Used the inflatable air pillows from the fire department to lift the aircraft to the point where we could slide a 4 wheel dolly under the broken strut and tied it onto the dolly. Pushed the aircraft back onto the runway and used a tug to pull it back to the hanger. No damage to the runway or lighting system. The only damage to the aircraft was the broken off right passenger main gear just below the step. Wing tip was not struck; prop was not struck and tail assembly was not bent. Called the FSDO the next day and they sent over a Mr. X who looked at the aircraft. At this point had decided to call it an 'incident'. Does NOT fit the criteria for a NTSB Form 6120.1 'Substantial Damage' required report.
C172 pilot performing night landings reports hitting a coyote at touchdown causing the right gear to break off and the aircraft to depart the runway.