Incident Overview
A pilot conducting a practice short field landing with full flaps extended encountered a sequence of events leading to structural damage. According to the pilot's report, the approach was higher and faster than normal. Prior to touchdown, a high sink rate developed, resulting in a hard landing. The right wing dropped and the aircraft began to turn right. The pilot maintained control and continued flight off the runway surface, crossing a grass area before the aircraft settled gently onto a taxiway.
Damage and Contributing Factors
During the incident, the right main landing gear collapsed, and two runway lights were damaged. The pilot was uncertain whether the gear failure was caused by the hard touchdown or by striking a runway light. The pilot reported wind from the southwest at 15 knots, while the UNICOM operator indicated that the wind was light and variable.
No Injuries Reported
The source does not specify any injuries to the pilot or other individuals. The aircraft came to rest on the taxiway without further incident.
Investigation Notes
The pilot's intention was to practice short field landing techniques. The exact cause of the high sink rate and hard landing has not been determined from available information. The pilot's uncertainty regarding the gear collapse leaves the sequence of failure open to interpretation.
Summary
A practice short field landing resulted in a hard touchdown, runway excursion, and collapse of the right main landing gear, along with damage to runway lights. The pilot remained in control throughout the event. No further details on aircraft type, registration, or injuries were provided in the source.