GAA18CA459

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and the subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear when he attempted to steer the airplane back onto the runway.

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped, experimental, amateur-built airplane reported that, during the landing roll at his home airport, the left main landing gear (MLG) wheel exited the asphalt runway and entered gravel that bordered the runway. The pilot applied right rudder to steer the airplane back onto the runway, but at the point where the left MLG tire contacted the asphalt runway, the left MLG collapsed. The left wing struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and aileron. The pilot reported that the left MLG shock absorber shaft had sheared off at the lock nut attached to the rod end, which he believed resulted in the left MLG collapsing. However, photographs provided by Federal Aviation Administration air safety inspectors revealed that the left MLG failed inward and underneath the fuselage of the airplane. Additionally, the photographs revealed ground scars on the asphalt runway from the left wing that could be traced from the runway centerline, about 90° back to that of the runway heading. Further, photographs revealed that the airplane was equipped with tundra tires, which would have put a lot of stress on the landing gear. The evidence indicates that the left MLG collapsed when the pilot attempted to steer the airplane back onto the runway. The METAR at the airport reported that the wind about the time of the accident was variable at 3 knots, gusting to 12 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 16.

According to the pilot, he had taken delivery of a tailwheel-equipped, experimental, amateur-built airplane at his home airport. After a 1-hour flight to return the ferry pilot to his departure airport, the pilot flew 1.2-hours with a flight instructor. After dropping off the instructor, he flew the 1-hour return flight to his home airport. He reported that during the landing roll at his home airport, the left main landing gear wheel exited the asphalt runway and entered gravel that bordered the runway. The pilot applied right rudder to steer the airplane back on to the runway, but the landing gear tire contacted the asphalt runway and the left main landing gear failed. The left wing struck the ground and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The pilot reported the occurrence of a mechanical failure of the left landing gear shock absorber shaft that had sheared off at the lock nut attached to the rod end. However, photographs provided by Federal Aviation Administration Air Safety Inspectors revealed that the left main landing gear failed inward and underneath the fuselage of the airplane. Additionally, the photographs revealed ground scars on the asphalt runway from the left wing that can be traced from the runway centerline, about 90° back to that of the runway heading. Furthermore, photographs revealed that the airplane was equipped with tundra tires. The METAR at the accident airport had reported that the wind about the time of the accident, was variable at 3 knots and gusting to 12 knots. The pilot landed on runway 16. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and aileron.