Synopsis
A post-accident examination revealed that the right main landing gear of an airplane separated during an accident sequence, leading to a runway excursion. The aircraft had been used primarily for flight training since 1997 and had accumulated 6,645 total flight hours at the time of the incident.
Sequence of Events
While taxiing at the departure airport, the pilot reported that the airplane required a significant amount of left rudder input to maintain the centerline of the taxiway. The pilot did not consider this issue material and elected to continue the flight. After performing maneuvers, the pilot executed a normal approach to landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered violently to the right, departed the runway, and struck a sign. During the accident sequence, the lower portion of the right main landing gear separated from the airplane.
Examination
Examination of the separated lower portion of the landing gear revealed no mechanical anomalies. The upper portion of the landing gear was forwarded to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory for analysis, where it was found to have failed due to overstress cracking.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1972 model with a total of 6,645 flight hours at the time of the accident. It had received a 100-hour inspection 62 flight hours prior to the event.