What happened
The pilot initiated an approach to runway 17 with 30 degrees of flaps deployed. The aircraft touched down significantly beyond the normal touchdown zone, appearing to be on a downwind leg rather than aligned with the final approach course. Recognizing the unstable situation, the pilot executed a go-around maneuver.
During the climb-out, the aircraft drifted to the right. The left main landing gear struck a large boulder located in the area separating the runway from the adjacent terrain. This impact separated the landing gear assembly from the aircraft structure. Following the collision, the pilot maintained control and diverted to another nearby airport.
At the alternate airport, the pilot landed on runway 35 into a wind from 050 degrees at 6 knots. Upon touchdown, the aircraft rolled and slid until it came to a stop resting on its right main landing gear, nose gear, and left wing tip. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing tip and landing gear area.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the boulder strike and the subsequent diversion. Examination confirmed that the initial touchdown occurred too far down the runway, necessitating the go-around. The drift to the right during the climb-out phase resulted in the left main gear contacting the stationary obstacle.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this incident were the long touchdown on the initial runway and the subsequent drift to the right during the go-around maneuver. The presence of a large boulder near the runway edge played a critical role in the extent of the damage sustained by the landing gear system.