Accident Sequence
During the landing rollout, the left main gear strut failed and separated from the aircraft. The pilot reported that he maintained directional control for approximately 600 feet before the aircraft veered to the left and departed the runway. As a result, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer sustained damage.
Metallurgical Examination
A metallurgical examination of the failed strut determined that the fracture occurred in an area that had been previously repaired. The earlier damage exhibited characteristics consistent with electrical arcing. The strut surface had been reworked and repainted. Cracks were found originating in the brittle, rehardened area of the strut. The brittle region created by the rehardening process provided a path for crack propagation, leading to the failure.
Maintenance Documentation
A review of the aircraft logbook and maintenance records found no entries referencing any repair to the landing gear strut. The absence of documentation indicates that the repair was not recorded in the maintenance records.