What happened
During a checkout flight for a private pilot, the instructor noted that the pilot flared high and performed a hard touchdown. The instructor took control of the aircraft to execute a go-around and subsequently completed a second landing. Upon touchdown during this second attempt, the aircraft tended to veer to the left, and the left main landing gear appeared slightly distorted.
The crew returned to the airport where the flight had originated. During the landing, the instructor applied the right brake as necessary to maintain the runway centerline. During this process, a loud bang occurred, resulting in the failure of the left main landing gear. The aircraft then swerved off the runway.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the left landing gear strut was fractured and bent aft. Additionally, the composite fuselage was buckled, and the landing gear box was torn open.