What happened
The pilot elected to land on a privately owned airstrip that was only 30 feet wide in order to pick up a passenger. During the landing roll-out, the pilot failed to maintain proper alignment with the centerline of the runway. As a result, the left wing struck a shrub located adjacent to the left side of the airstrip.
The impact caused the airplane to ground loop. This maneuver resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear and sustained damage to both wings.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft confirmed structural damage consistent with the reported sequence of events. The primary mechanical failure was the collapse of the right main landing gear, which occurred as a direct consequence of the ground loop. Both wings exhibited damage resulting from the loss of directional control and subsequent impact with the shrubbery.
Findings
The accident was caused by the pilot's failure to maintain proper alignment on the centerline during the landing roll-out on a narrow airstrip. This error led to the left wing striking an obstacle, which triggered the ground loop and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear.