Incident Overview
A pilot on a cross-country flight decided to divert to an airport to attend to personal needs. The pilot reported flying a normal traffic pattern and making a stabilized approach to the runway.
Sequence of Events
Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder to correct, but the airplane then began to rotate to the right. During this rotation, the left main wheel departed from the landing gear strut.
Local police responded to the incident and spoke with the pilot. Officers examined skid marks on the runway and documented the following: the airplane touched down on the center of the runway; the skid marks then veered toward the left side until the left main wheel entered the dirt. The pilot overcorrected to the right, and as the airplane veered right, the left main tire broke off the landing gear. The airplane then spun on its belly for an additional 50 to 70 feet before coming to rest facing southeast.
Damage and Pilot Report
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.