What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot said during rollout the aircraft leaned left then veered right. He attempted to correct the with full left rudder but this did not correct the situation and the aircraft left the runway. Aircraft heading could not be controlled during touchdown and roll out. The pilot stated that this aircraft gear is weak which is an inherent design flaw. The belived the gear to be toe'ed out excessively causing heading control to be impossible to maintain a straight track. The aircraft is equipped with tundra tires which may have contributed to the failure of the weaker gear. Weather conditions were ideal and the airport, which is a dirt strip was dry with light and variable winds, <5 knots. Review of incident photos confirms the damage. The pilot said the aircraft engine has been examined since the incident and found to be in good condition with execption to the spinner attaching plate which has been repaired. SDR and malfunction damage report is not included since the aircaft component involved was designed by the builder from plans. Photo evidence supports the most likely cause of the incident to be left main gear failure.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT SAID DURING ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT LEANED LEFT THEN VEERED RIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE WITH FULL LEFT RUDDER BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE SITUATION AND THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT HEADING COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED DURING TOUCHDOWN AND ROLL OUT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS AIRCRAFT GEAR IS WEAK WHICH IS AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW. THE BELIVED THE GEAR TO BE TOE'ED OUT EXCESSIVELY CAUSING HEADING CONTROL TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT TRACK. THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH TUNDRA TIRES WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE OF THE WEAKER GEAR. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL AND THE AIRPORT, WHICH IS A DIRT STRIP WAS DRY WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS, <5 KNOTS. REVIEW OF INCIDENT PHOTOS CONFIRMS THE DAMAGE. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE HAS BEEN EXAMINED SINCE THE INCIDENT AND FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION WITH EXECPTION TO THE SPINNER ATTACHING PLATE WHICH HAS BEEN REPAIRED. SDR AND MALFUNCTION DAMAGE REPORT IS NOT INCLUDED SINCE THE AIRCAFT COMPONENT INVOLVED WAS DESIGNED BY THE BUILDER FROM PLANS. PHOTO EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT TO BE LEFT MAIN GEAR FAILURE.
Other reports on N428DD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.