Accident Details
On August 19, 2019, at approximately 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane, registration N43793, sustained substantial damage during a landing accident near Spokane, Washington. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported that the landing was normal until the nose wheel touched down. At that point, the airplane immediately turned sharply to the right. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the wing.
Examination
Post-accident examination of the runway revealed tire marks that veered to the right, ending near the accident site. The airplane sustained buckling on the left upper wing surface and in the wing root area. The nose landing gear steering linkage and control rod were fractured. The control rod exhibited bending of the threaded shaft near the fracture, with 45° shear lips and cupping on the fractured surface. However, the examination did not identify any anomalies with the steering system that would have precluded normal operation.