Incident Overview
An instructional landing practice flight experienced a collision during touchdown. The aircraft was on short final approach when a truck loaded with a backhoe crossed the end of the runway from left to right on a public access road. This road displayed no caution or warning signs regarding aircraft operations. Neither pilot observed the vehicle. At touchdown, the left main landing gear struck the backhoe and broke off. The aircraft then veered off the runway.
Public Road Conditions
The road intersected the runway at its end and was open to public traffic. It was not marked with any signage to alert drivers to the possibility of aircraft activity. The truck carried a backhoe, which elevated the collision risk due to its height. The absence of warnings is a notable condition of the road.
Training Context
The flight was conducted for instructional landing practice. Both pilots were occupied with the landing procedure. The short final phase did not allow them to detect the truck prior to touchdown. The impact occurred at the moment of landing, leading to the gear separation and subsequent veering off the runway.