Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusty crosswinds.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported he was landing his tail wheel-equipped airplane in almost direct crosswinds that were 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Soon after touchdown, he lost directional control. The airplane subsequently departed the side of the runway, and entered an area of grass covered soft terrain. As the airplane continued a left turn in the soft terrain, the right main landing gear collapsed inward due to an overload failure. The right wing contacted the surface and was substantially damaged. The pilot further stated the he did not believe there had been any anomalies associated with the airplane's flight control or tail wheel steering systems.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 10, 2010, about 1545 mountain daylight time, an experimental Meyers Thorp T-18, N330JH, experienced a collapse of one main landing gear during the landing roll at Jerome County Airport, Jerome, Idaho. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the airplane, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-county flight, which departed La Grande, Oregon, about 1330 Pacific daylight time, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, he was landing in an almost direct crosswind of 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Almost immediately after the airplane touched down, it veered hard right and then hard left, before departing the side of the runway and entering a soft grassy area. After entering the grassy area, while still in a left turn, the right main landing gear collapsed inward, allowing the airplane's wing to impact the terrain. According to the pilot, who did not detect any evidence of preexisting corrosion or cracking at the location of the gear strut fracture, "… the right gear leg collapsed due to side load stresses put on it due to crosswind landing." The pilot further stated that he did not believe there had been any anomalies associated with the airplane's flight control or tail wheel steering systems.