What happened
The aircraft deviated to the left while exiting the runway during the landing rollout. The deviation was not the result of pilot input or environmental conditions but was mechanically induced by a failure within the landing gear assembly.
The investigation
Inspectors examined the left main landing gear strut following the incident. They discovered that the collar component had failed, which allowed the lower portion of the landing gear strut to shift out of its intended position. This mechanical shift was transmitted directly to the tire, causing it to fail structurally.
A metallurgist analyzed the fractured collar and determined that the nature of the break was consistent with an overstress shear separation. This indicates that the material failed due to forces exceeding its structural limits rather than fatigue or manufacturing defects.