Introduction
On April 4, 2012, at 1340 mountain daylight time, a Cessna Corvalis LC41-550FG, registration N1178L, sustained substantial damage when it veered off runway 09 after landing at Telluride Municipal Airport (TEX), Telluride, Colorado. The private pilot and his three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at 1200 from Flagstaff, Arizona, with Telluride as its destination.
Accident Sequence
After an uneventful cross-country flight, the pilot announced his intention to enter a right base for runway 9, despite a slight tailwind. He had studied the airport the previous night and believed runway 9 offered the best approach and landing for the field even with a slight tailwind.
The pilot stated that after crossing over the numbers, the airplane floated longer than anticipated and touched down just before the 3,000-foot marker. The touchdown was straight and centered. The pilot felt comfortable that he had enough runway to safely stop and expected a smooth and straight rollout. Soon after touchdown, the airplane pulled to the left. The pilot responded by applying more pressure on the right brake. The airplane corrected slightly, so he eased off the brakes. The airplane continued pulling left, so he repeated the process of right-dominated braking, but the airplane continued to pull left. At that point, the pilot realized he would not be able to keep the airplane on the runway. He considered locking the brakes but felt he could execute a go-around. As the pilot advanced the throttle and eased back on the control stick, the engine did not respond. The airplane nosed up, stalled, and came down off the left side of the runway. The pilot and all three passengers exited the airplane uninjured.
Weather Conditions
The reported wind at TEX approximately five minutes before the accident was from 270 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The METAR at the time was: KTEX 041935Z AUTO 27012G16KT 10SM CLR 10/M09 A3005 RMK AO2.
Investigation Findings
FAA inspection of the airplane at the airport confirmed substantial damage to the integral composite main spars. Additionally, all three landing gear had sheared from the airplane during the accident sequence. Examination of the flight controls and brake system did not show any preexisting mechanical malfunction or abnormalities.