What happened
The accident occurred during the landing phase of flight. As the pilot was conducting the landing rollout, the left main landing gear veered off the paved surface. The aircraft continued forward, crossing back over the runway edge before exiting on the right side.
Upon leaving the runway, the airplane struck a ditch. The impact caused the left main landing gear to separate completely from the airframe. Following this separation, the nose gear collapsed under the weight of the aircraft. The plane then slid across the ground until it came to a rest on an adjacent taxiway.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed significant structural damage to the landing gear system. The left main landing gear was found separated from the airframe, indicating a failure of the attachment points or strut integrity during the off-runway excursion. Additionally, the nose gear had collapsed, suggesting excessive vertical or lateral loads were applied during the slide.
Findings
The pilot reported that environmental conditions played a critical role in the incident. Winds were variable, ranging from calm to a 90 degree crosswind in excess of 20 knots. This sudden shift and intensity likely exceeded the aircraft's crosswind capability or the pilot's ability to maintain directional control during the rollout.
The combination of the crosswind component and the resulting loss of directional control led to the departure from the runway. The significant damage to the landing gear was a direct result of the off-runway impact with the ditch.