What happened
The incident occurred while a dual-student pilot was conducting training exercises focused on short field landing techniques. During one such approach, the aircraft touched down slightly before the intended touchdown zone. The pilot had not yet lowered the nosewheel when the main landing gear struck the exposed lip of the runway.
The investigation
The impact caused significant damage to the right side of the aircraft. The right main tire blew out due to the force of the strike. Additionally, the right strut failed, and the right wing sustained damage from the contact with the runway surface.
Findings
The primary factor was the aircraft touching down just short of the runway during a practice maneuver. The exposed lip of the runway contributed to the gear impact. fuel exhaustion is not cited; the cause is mechanical failure due to improper landing technique.