Left Main Gear Collapse During Touch-and-Go Landing Roll (N8543D)

What happened

The flight involved a training exercise where the pilot seated in the left seat, who held a flight instructor rating, executed two consecutive touch-and-go landings. Control was then transferred to the pilot in command seated on the right for the third attempt. During this phase, the aircraft touched down on its wheels rather than performing a proper flare or bounce-free touchdown. As the airplane accelerated along the runway surface, it began to oscillate laterally, swerving from left to right. The loss of directional control caused the aircraft to veer off the side of the paved surface, resulting in the collapse of the left main landing gear.

The investigation

The physical examination focused on the aftermath of the runway excursion. Investigators noted that the primary mechanical failure was limited to the structural integrity of the landing gear assembly. No evidence was found suggesting a pre-existing mechanical defect or system failure contributed to the lateral oscillation during the landing roll.