What happened
During the landing phase of flight, the pilot reported that the airplane veered to the left after touching down. The pilot noted a sensation as if the left brake had locked up during the maneuver.
Following the deviation from the runway, the aircraft traveled through a ditch located at the edge of the runway and continued across a field toward the crosswind runway. As the aircraft's nosewheel made contact with the edge of the crosswind runway, the nosewheel collapsed. The aircraft subsequently came to a stop on the crosswind runway. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft was conducted, which revealed no mechanical anomalies in the engine, engine controls, flight controls, or brakes. Additionally, an airplane and powerplant mechanic stationed at the airport reported that the aircraft's brakes functioned normally while the aircraft was being towed from the accident site.