A CESSNA 182 ON LNDG EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTROLLED EXCURSION FROM THE RWY XING THE GRASS MEDIAN STRIP STRIKING THE RWY DIRECTIONAL MARKER. CAUSED BY A FAILED L MAIN GEAR STRUT FORCING THE L MAIN WHEEL TO TURN SIDEWAYS.

Narrative

FOLLOWING A NORMAL APCH AND A VERY SMOOTH LNDG AND START OF ROLL DOWN THE CTRLINE WITH PWR FULLY BACK; THE ACFT SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE L AT AN APPROX 45 DEG ANGLE TO THE CTRLINE. R RUDDER CORRECTION AND GENTLE BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT TO CORRECT DIRECTION AND THE ACFT RAN OFF THE RWY INTO THE GRASS WHERE HARD BRAKING AND R RUDDER DID NOT STOP OR CORRECT DIRECTION. THE CRAFT THEN PROCEEDED UP OVER A TAXI ENTRANCE TO THE RWY AND PROCEEDED BACK ONTO THE GRASS BTWN A TAXI LIGHT AND A RWY-TAXI INDICATOR. THE L MAIN GEAR STRUCK TANGENTIALLY THE LAST 6-12 INCHES OF THE RWY-TAXI INDICATOR AND BROKE OFF THE WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY AT THE WHEEL. THE CRAFT THEN SKIDDED AND PIVOTED ON THE L STRUT AND STOPPED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE LNDG WAS SMOOTH AT ABOUT 75 MPH AND AFTER 10 SECONDS THE ACFT VEERED OFF TO THE L AND ACFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE RPTR SAID THE BRAKES AND NOSEWHEEL STEERING WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE RPTR SAID THE RWY PAVEMENT AND GRASS MEDIAN STRIP WERE DRY. THE RPTR SAID THE CAUSE WAS THE L MAIN GEAR SPRING STEEL TUBE STRUT CRACKED WHERE THE STRUT JOINS THE WHEEL. THE RPTR STATED THE L MAIN GEAR WHEEL WAS TURNED OUT POINTING SIDEWAYS.