What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Upon landing, left gear failed at junction of wheel spindle. The assembly separated from landing gear, and a/c slid off runway on remaining stub of gear tube. Inspection of landing gear did not indicate any failure of the gear assembly. At point of failure there was an area of discoloration and possible corrosion indicating a pre-existing crack in the tube. This area was approx. in an arc of 30 to 45 degrees. This would have caused a weakness in the tube thus leading to structural failure of the complete tube.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) UPON LANDING, LEFT GEAR FAILED AT JUNCTION OF WHEEL SPINDLE. THE ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM LANDING GEAR, AND A/C SLID OFF RUNWAY ON REMAINING STUB OF GEAR TUBE. INSPECTION OF LANDING GEAR DID NOT INDICATE ANY FAILURE OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY. AT POINT OF FAILURE THERE WAS AN AREA OF DISCOLORATION AND POSSIBLE CORROSION INDICATING A PRE-EXISTING CRACK IN THE TUBE. THIS AREA WAS APPROX. IN AN ARC OF 30 TO 45 DEGREES. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A WEAKNESS IN THE TUBE THUS LEADING TO STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE COMPLETE TUBE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.