Incident Summary
During a landing, the pilot-in-command reported a normal approach and flare. However, as the aircraft touched down, the left main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft subsequently swerved off the runway and came to rest on upsloping dirt terrain.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident examination revealed that the left main landing gear spring strut, part number 0741601-1, had failed at the point where it was clamped to the fuselage. A metallurgical analysis determined that fatigue cracking had developed in the lower forward area of the spring strut. This cracking was associated with fretting damage that had occurred at the clamp location.
The aircraft had accumulated a total flight time of 3,060 hours at the time of the incident.