Primary finding
Probable cause
The airplane’s encounter with a large hole in the runway during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent runway excursion.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During a landing on a private dirt strip, the right main landing gear struck a large, hidden gopher hole, and the airplane veered to the right. Before the pilot could correct the excursion, the right wing struck sage brush along the edge of the runway, impacted a berm, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and to the left upper wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation.
Source record
Factual narrative
During landing on a private dirt strip, the right main landing gear broke through a large gopher hole, the airplane veered to the right, and before the pilot could correct the excursion, the right wing struck a sage brush along the edge of the runway. The airplane continued off to the right of the runway and impacted a soft berm and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and to the left upper wing. The pilot reported no abnormalities with the aircraft prior to the accident.