What happened
The pilot was conducting practice touch-and-go landings at the time of the accident. Upon touchdown, the aircraft began veering significantly to the left. The pilot attempted to correct this deviation by applying full right rudder input; however, the aircraft continued its leftward trajectory and departed the paved surface of the runway.
As the aircraft moved off the runway, the pilot pulled back on the control column to raise the nose in an effort to clear a tractor located nearby. This maneuver caused the aircraft to stall. The aircraft then pitched nose-down and collided with the ground, coming to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection of the airframe revealed damage to the landing gear assembly. Examination of the left main gear showed what appeared to be a new break in the bolt that secures the main gear strut. Investigators determined this structural failure was likely a result of the forces generated during a hard landing.