Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during a landing attempt at his private airstrip, the aircraft struck a berm, resulting in damage to the left landing gear and the aircraft's structure. The incident occurred while the pilot was trying to land to the north in mildly gusty wind conditions.
Sequence of Events
The pilot stated that at the south end of the airstrip, there is a tomato field with an irrigation ditch that rises approximately 8 to 10 inches above the flat ground. While attempting to land, the aircraft clipped this berm. The impact snapped off the left landing gear, and the airplane continued onto the runway before settling on the left wing and firewall.
Pilot Comments
The pilot noted that the wind was mildly gusty, with speeds of 8 to 10 miles per hour, variable out of the west-northwest. He indicated that he should have landed a little longer to avoid the obstruction.
Mechanical Condition
No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported by the pilot.