Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing following a hard landing and failure of the right main tire.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was landing the weight-shift control aircraft when the right main tire failed and he lost directional control. He reported that the landing was hard, but he had landed hard before without issues. The aircraft rolled onto its side, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing structure. The tire was disposed of before it could be examined, but photographs of the tire showed it had failed and split down the center groove. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the weight-shift control aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.