Incident
During the landing roll, the pilot reported feeling a drag on the left side of the aircraft, which caused the airplane to veer sharply to the left. The aircraft departed the left side of the runway and struck trees located approximately 150 feet to the left of the landing surface.
Post-Accident Examination
A postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the washer under the left landing gear torque link attachment bolt head was not installed. The torque links had separated. The pilot stated that the airplane had just received maintenance to repair a previously failed torque link.
Summary of Events
The incident occurred during the landing phase when the aircraft unexpectedly veered left and exited the runway. The subsequent examination identified the missing washer and separated torque links on the left landing gear. The pilot noted that maintenance had recently been performed on a previously failed torque link, indicating a potential connection between the maintenance and the observed failure.