What happened
The pilot was conducting a landing operation when the wind conditions changed unexpectedly. The pilot indicated that the wind shifted during the final approach and landing phase, which resulted in a loss of directional control of the aircraft. As the airplane touched down, it drifted off the paved surface of the airstrip. The aircraft continued to roll down an embankment adjacent to the runway.
During this excursion, the left main landing gear structure failed under the stress of the impact and uneven terrain. Following the collapse of the landing gear, the airplane nosed over onto its nose or fuselage. The airstrip involved in the incident was noted to be approximately 1,965 feet long and 40 feet wide, which may have contributed to the difficulty in maintaining control during the landing roll.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions reported with the airplane prior to or during the incident. The structural damage to the left main landing gear was consistent with the forces generated by the off-runway excursion and nose-over, rather than a pre-existing defect. No other mechanical issues were identified that would have contributed to the accident.