SMA; LANCAIR 360 PLT HAD R MAIN LNDG GEAR FAIL ON LNDG.

Narrative

THE ACFT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL; LANCAIR 360; BUILT BY THE PLT. THE FLT WAS MADE FROM HOME BASE TO SANDPOINT; ID; FOR A DAY OF SKIING. ARRIVING AT SANDPOINT ABOUT AM40; THERE WAS A 10 KT XWIND AND TURB IN THE PATTERN. TOUCHDOWN WAS HARD (3 G'S REGISTERED ON G-METER) WITH R WING DOWN INTO THE WIND. THE ACFT BOUNCED; PLT ADDED PWR AND LIFTED OFF FOR A SECOND APCH. THE PAX NOTICED THAT THE R WING SURFACE ABOVE THE LNDG GEAR WAS DEFORMED. THE PLT DECIDED TO KEEP THE GEAR DOWN AND FLY 165 NM BACK TO HOME BASE. THE DECISION TO FLY TO HOME BASE WAS BASED ON KNOWN GOOD LNDG CONDITIONS AT RICHLAND; FAMILIARITY WITH THE FIELD; THE NEED TO BURN DOWN APPROX 1 1/2 HRS OF FUEL; AND IT IS CERTAINLY BETTER TO HAVE A BROKEN PLANE AT HOME RATHER THAN AT SANDPOINT OR SOME OTHER ARPT. THE FLT TO RICHLAND WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE LNDG WAS GENTLE BUT ON ROLLOUT; THE R LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED. EXCEPT FOR THE GEAR BREAKING THROUGH THE UPPER WING SURFACE; THERE WAS MINIMAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. THE DECISION TO FLY 165 NM WITH A DAMAGED ACFT MAY BE QUESTIONED. HOWEVER; GIVEN THE SIT; THAT APPEARS LIKE A GOOD DECISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT STATED THAT THE LANCAIR 360 DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE PITCH STABILITY; IN FACT IT HAS NEGATIVE STABILITY WITH FLAPS EXTENDED FOR LNDG. THIS MAKES IT HARD TO CTL IN THE LNDG CONFIGN. THE AUSTRALIAN AIRWORTHINESS AUTHS WOULD NOT ALLOW THE ACFT TO BE MARKETED THERE WITHOUT A REDESIGN TO IMPROVE PITCH STABILITY. THE RPTR'S ACFT DID NOT HAVE THIS MODIFICATION. THE RPTR STATES THAT THE ACFT HAS A VERY FRAGILE LNDG GEAR DESIGN; WHICH WILL NOT TOLERATE SIDE LOADS ON LNDG. THE PLT WOULD LIKE TO SEE LANCAIR PROVIDE ACCEPTABLE ENGINEERING TO CORRECT THE DESIGN FLAWS OF THIS ACFT.