What happened
During the landing phase at the airport, a single-engine airplane was performing a GPS approach. The pilot had cancelled his instrument flight rules flight plan after gaining visual contact with the airport. After entering a left downwind for runway 9, the pilot observed a right crosswind condition via the windsock.
The aircraft approached the landing at an airspeed of 90 knots using a right crab. The pilot reported that just prior to touchdown, the wind subsided to the point where the crab was no longer necessary. Although the airplane touched down on the centerline of the dry asphalt runway, it began moving toward the left almost immediately after contact with the surface.
In an attempt to correct the movement, the pilot applied full right aileron and right rudder, though no pressure was applied to the toe brakes. The aircraft subsequently veered off the left side of the runway, encountered soft terrain, spun, and impacted a ditch. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, and there were no injuries reported.
The investigation
An inspection of the aircraft revealed that the wheels turned freely and the brakes were not sticking. There were no flat spots found on the tires. Examination of the runway showed no long skid marks; however, short black skid marks approximately 2 feet in length were observed about 20 feet apart. There was no evidence of braking occurring once the airplane transitioned onto the grass.