What happened
The pilot was operating an aircraft for a flight involving the transport of chemicals. The departure took place from a dirt runway. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft accelerated to approximately 60 knots before the left main landing gear suddenly collapsed. Following the structural failure of the gear, the aircraft settled onto its left wing, resulting in damage to the airframe.
The investigation
A post-accident examination was conducted to determine the mechanical cause of the gear collapse. The inspection focused on the attachment hardware connecting the landing gear to the airframe. The analysis revealed that the attaching bolts had failed. Specifically, the bolts were found to be necked down in the area of the fracture. This physical evidence is indicative of an overload failure rather than fatigue or manufacturing defects.
Findings
The investigation confirmed that the primary factor leading to the accident was the structural failure of the landing gear attachment bolts. The pilot's account of the event aligned with the physical evidence found during the examination. No other mechanical anomalies were reported in the source material regarding the cause of the initial collapse.