Incident Overview
During a landing on a hard surfaced runway, an airplane fitted with oversized 29-inch Gar Aero 'Tundra' tires encountered a loss of directional control. A witness reported that the airplane swerved slightly, then veered to the right. Subsequently, the left main landing gear wheel separated from the axle, and the left main landing gear collapsed.
Examination of Components
Examination of the separated axle revealed fracture surfaces consistent with an overload failure. No other mechanical anomalies were identified beyond the overload fracture.
Previous Occurrence
Two days prior to this event, the same pilot and airplane were involved in a ground loop and landing incident on a hard surfaced runway. No further details of that incident are available.
Aircraft Configuration
The airplane was equipped with oversized 29-inch Gar Aero 'Tundra' tires at the time of the landing.