Primary finding
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. A factor related to the accident was: the pilot's lack of familiarity with the type (make and model) of airplane.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot had just purchased the airplane and was flying it from the point of purchase in winner, south dakota, to his home in montana. While landing at the first en route stop, he lost directional control, the airplane departed the runway, and the left main landing gear collapsed. In a statement, the pilot said he attempted to make a three point landing, when he should have made wheel landings until he was more familiar with the airplane.
Source record
Factual narrative
On October 11, 1993, at 1800 mountain daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N4788Q, sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear collapsed, after the airplane departed the runway during landing rollout at the Wall Municipal Airport, Wall, South Dakota. The commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight originated at Winner, South Dakota. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot had just purchased the airplane and was flying it to his home in Montana. He reported directional control was lost when the airplane started skidding to the right. In a written statement he said: "I was attempting a 3 point landing. I should have attempted wheel landings until [I was] more familiar with this aircraft." -