What happened
According to witness accounts, the aircraft was high and fast on final approach for landing when it encountered crosswind conditions. The pilot attempted to flare but touched down with the nosewheel first rather than the main wheels. Immediately following this premature nose contact, the aircraft bounced back into the air.
During the subsequent descent, the aircraft drifted to the left side of the runway centerline. It then settled onto the wet grass adjacent to the paved surface. As the aircraft came to a stop, the left main wheel strut struck a runway marker embedded in the ground. The impact caused the strut to collapse completely.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed significant damage consistent with the witness description. In addition to the collapsed left main landing gear, the left wing and the left horizontal stabilizer sustained damage during the sequence of events leading to the final rest position.