Incident
On February 19, 2023, at 1330 central standard time, a Luscombe 8E, N2722K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. The airplane was being operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that the landing touchdown was uneventful. During the landing rollout, approximately 1,630 feet down the runway, the airplane "lurched to the left," rolled inverted, and came to rest on the runway. The pilot stated that the left wing strut failed at its midpoint.
Surveillance Video
Airport surveillance video captured the sequence of events. The video showed that during the landing, the airplane’s right wing moved upward and the left wing descended and contacted the runway. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over onto the runway.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that it was equipped with heel brakes. Examination of the brake system and flight control system showed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the left wing strut determined that it had failed in overload. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and left wing strut.