The private pilot was landing in calm wind conditions when the left main gear collapsed. The airplane veered to the right and, although the pilot attempted to keep the airplane on the runway by applying engine power and right aileron, it went off the runway and spun, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage. Examination revealed the left main landing gear strut failed due to a pre-existing crack in the weld joint. The crack would not have been readily visible to the pilot during a pre-flight inspection.
January 2, 2011, Carlisle, Ark., Kitfox III Experimental
The private pilot was landing in calm wind conditions when the left main gear collapsed. The airplane veered to the right and, although the pilot attempted to keep the airplane on the runway by applying engine power and right aileron, it went off the runway and spun, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage.
Key Takeaways:
- A private pilot experienced a left main landing gear collapse during landing, causing the airplane to veer off the runway, spin, and sustain structural damage.
- The gear failure was attributed to a pre-existing crack in the weld joint of the landing gear strut, which would not have been readily visible during pre-flight inspection.
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