On August 9, 1997, a Cessna 305A (L-19) (registration N542EZ) was involved in an aviation accident near Aspen, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the pilot to maintain direction control of the aircraft during landing roll, which resulted in a ground swerve and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a touch-and-go landing roll, an aircraft veered to the right and then to the left; the pilot's rudder and brake inputs had little effect, resulting in a sideways slide and collapse of the right main landing gear.
Sequence of Events
During a touch-and-go landing roll, the aircraft began to veer to the right. The pilot reported applying left rudder in an attempt to correct the deviation. Subsequently, the aircraft veered to the left. The pilot then applied right rudder and brake, but these inputs had minimal effect on directional control. The aircraft continued to slide sideways, and the right main landing gear collapsed.
Environmental Conditions
Wind at the time of the incident was from 360 degrees at 4 knots.
Pilot Experience
The pilot reported having 1 hour of experience in the aircraft.