What happened
The incident occurred during a practice short field landing maneuver conducted in low-light conditions at dusk. The pilot attempted to touch down within the designated touchdown zone but landed approximately one foot beyond the intended point, effectively just short of the runway threshold.
Upon initial contact with the pavement, the aircraft struck a runway threshold light fixture. This impact caused immediate structural failure of the left main landing gear strut, which collapsed under the stress. Following the collapse, the airplane began to veer sharply to the left side of the runway surface as it continued its rollout.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no pre-existing mechanical defects or malfunctions that contributed to the event. The landing gear system was found to be in proper working order prior to the impact with the threshold light. The collapse of the strut was determined to be a direct result of the collision rather than a mechanical failure.
Findings
The pilot, holding a commercial certificate with extensive experience exceeding 9,400 flight hours, executed the maneuver with insufficient precision. The primary factor in the accident was the touchdown point being too far down the runway, leading to the strike against the threshold lighting infrastructure. No mechanical issues were identified as contributing factors.