Primary finding
Probable cause
A separation of the left main landing gear during landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated he was intentionally landing on the grass beside the paved runway. During landing, the left main landing gear collapsed and folded under the fuselage. The underside of the fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. Postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed that the left main landing gear tube structure displayed fracture features consistent with corrosion-induced stress cracking near where the tube connected to the fuselage.