Primary finding
Probable cause
A flat left main landing gear tire, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion during landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot were on the return leg of a cross-country flight. As the student pilot was landing the airplane at their home airport, the touchdown was normal, but the airplane immediately veered left. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and attempted to correct, but the airplane continued off the left side of the runway. The left wing struck a runway sign, resulting substantial damage to the left wing, and the airplane came to rest upright in a grass area off the left side of the runway. Examination of the wreckage by a mechanic and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed a flat spot and gashes on the left main landing gear tire, consistent with the tire being flat upon touchdown.