On March 19, 1994, a Boeing PT-17 (registration N57TH) was involved in an aviation accident near Chamblee, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of directional control after touchdown, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and collapsing the main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot lost directional control after touchdown on runway 02, causing the airplane to veer off the runway and collapse its main landing gear.
What happened
The pilot reported losing directional control of the aircraft immediately following touchdown. The airplane subsequently veered off the side of the paved surface. During this excursion, the main landing gear collapsed under the stress of the off-runway maneuver.
The approach and initial touchdown were conducted into a quartering tailwind condition. The landing was performed on runway 02. At the time of the event, reported wind conditions were from 250 degrees at 10 knots.
The investigation
Following the incident, an examination of the aircraft was conducted to determine the extent of the damage and the status of the airframe systems. No mechanical failures or pre-existing defects were identified during this inspection.
The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to or during the flight. The collapse of the landing gear appears to be a direct result of the off-runway excursion rather than a structural failure of the gear itself.
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of directional control after touchdown, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and collapsing the main landing gear.