What happened
During a straight-in GPS approach, the aircraft emerged from cloud cover directly above the runway threshold. Following this transition, the pilot performed a no-flap circling approach toward the opposite runway while maintaining visibility. Upon touchdown, the pilot reported that the aircraft was traveling at an excessive airspeed. The impact of the landing was severe enough to cause a blowout of the right main landing gear tire. This failure led to the aircraft veering to the left of the runway centerline, which subsequently caused the collapse of the left main landing gear.
Findings
An investigation into the incident revealed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions present prior to the accident that would have prevented the aircraft from being operated normally. The primary factor in the loss of control was the high airspeed during touchdown and the resulting tire failure.