What happened
During the final phase of the flight, specifically while the aircraft was in the landing roll, the left main landing gear failed structurally. The collapse caused the airplane to skid along the runway surface before coming to rest just beyond the edge of the pavement.
The investigation
A mechanical inspection of the landing gear mechanism revealed the specific point of failure. The down lock link was found to have broken within its threaded area, which compromised the structural integrity of the gear assembly during the high-stress landing event.
Findings
The collapse of the left main gear led to a rupture of the left main fuel tank. The released fuel subsequently ignited, creating a fire hazard at the site of the accident. The primary mechanical failure was identified as the breakage of the down lock link in the threaded section.