On June 1, 1996, a Piper PA-20 (registration N1645A) was involved in an aviation accident near Pasco, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and collapse of the left main gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot experienced an uncontrollable wing drop and subsequent gear collapse during the landing roll of a solo flight.
What happened
During a solo flight, a student pilot was performing the landing roll when the left wing of the tailwheel-equipped aircraft suddenly dropped. The pilot reported being unable to counteract this movement using the ailerons. Following the wing drop, the aircraft entered a sweeping right-hand turn.
A sketch provided by the pilot showed a left-hand tire skid mark beginning at the moment of the uncontrollable wing drop and curving toward the right. This skid mark continued across the runway pavement and ended at a point where the pilot believed the landing gear collapsed. The aircraft eventually came to rest on the right shoulder of the runway. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
The pilot had accumulated 87.4 total flight hours, which included 33.8 hours in this specific type, 16.4 solo hours in type, and 45.8 total hours in tailwheel aircraft. The pilot had received both his solo and tailwheel endorsements approximately two and a half months prior to the accident.