What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 12, 2002, at 2030 pacific daylight time, a ayers S2R-T34, N4020Y, sustained a separated left main landing gear during the takeoff ground roll at the newman ranch strip, 5 miles east of Firebaugh, California. After the landing gear separated from the airplane, the left wing struck the ground and the aircraft veered of the runway. The airplane, owned and operated by thiel air care under the provisions of 14 CFR part 137 of the federal aviation regulations, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area aerial application flight that was originating at the time. No flight plan was filed. A federal aviation administration airworthiness inspector from the fresno, California, flight standards district office examined the airplane. He reported that the ear which secures the left main gear strut to the fuselage structure had fractured and separated, allowing the left gear strut to separate from the fuselage. (-23) the pilot was taking off to the north on the newman cattle companies private strip, the strip is 30 feet wide and paved. The left landing gear h it a chuck hole approximately 15 feet long, 3 feet wide and a maximum depth of 3 inches, with a lip at the north of the chuck hole 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep, the pilot had just loaded the aircraft with chemical for spraying crops. The left gear shock strut upper attach point failed where it attaches to the fuselage. The aircraft traveled approximately 20 feet before the left wing contacted the ground. The aircraft traveled approximately another 25 feet while veering to the left 90 degrees. The aircraft traveled 30 more feet when it hit the ditch that parallels a dirt road which parallels the runway. At this point the right landing gear collapsed and the aircraft came to a stop.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 12, 2002, AT 2030 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A AYERS S2R-T34, N4020Y, SUSTAINED A SEPARATED LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL AT THE NEWMAN RANCH STRIP, 5 MILES EAST OF FIREBAUGH, CALIFORNIA. AFTER THE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THIEL AIR CARE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 137 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT THAT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FROM THE FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THAT THE EAR WHICH SECURES THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUT TO THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE HAD FRACTURED AND SEPARATED, ALLOWING THE LEFT GEAR STRUT TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE. (-23) THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF TO THE NORTH ON THE NEWMAN CATTLE COMPANIES PRIVATE STRIP, THE STRIP IS 30 FEET WIDE AND PAVED. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR H IT A CHUCK HOLE APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET LONG, 3 FEET WIDE AND A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 3 INCHES, WITH A LIP AT THE NORTH OF THE CHUCK HOLE 1 1/2 TO 2 INCHES DEEP, THE PILOT HAD JUST LOADED THE AIRCRAFT WITH CHEMICAL FOR SPRAYING CROPS. THE LEFT GEAR SHOCK STRUT UPPER ATTACH POINT FAILED WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET BEFORE THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 25 FEET WHILE VEERING TO THE LEFT 90 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED 30 MORE FEET WHEN IT HIT THE DITCH THAT PARALLELS A DIRT ROAD WHICH PARALLELS THE RUNWAY. AT THIS POINT THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.