I wasn't taking a checkride, I was giving one. Part 135 in an Agusta 139 in Mtwara, Tanzania. First takeoff, my candidate is dripping sweat because there is no aircon and everything is closed. He's expecting an engine cut before V1 , and I'm expecting to give him one. As he starts to accelerate down the runway, a big rat scurries down from behind the instrument panel and jumps at me from between the rudder pedals. Gets about half-way and decides discretion is the better part of valour and turns tail to hide back under the instrument panel. My candidate is focussing so hard he doesn't notice anything until he realizes that I didn't fail an engine on takeoff.

I thought of continuing with the ride just to give him a chance at the rat-between-the-feet experience, but cut things short before any wire bundles got chewed through.