A beech 23 on landing rollout experienced left main landing gear strut failure incurring damage to t...

Attributes
ACN	379787
Time
Date	199709
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sundowner 23
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 6
ASRS Report	379787
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The incident occurred after a normal landing. On the landing rollout it became increasingly difficult to control the aircraft. At approximately 10-20 KTS the nose of the aircraft came up, the left wing dropped, and the right wing came up. I noticed sparks from the left side and the aircraft began pulling to the left. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway and I notified mdw tower we were unable to exit the runway and needed assistance. After shutting down the aircraft and exiting, I noticed the left main gear had separated from the strut. The strut had completely severed in two, directly above the wheel assembly. The type aircraft is a beechcraft sundowner which is a single engine, fixed gear, 4 seat airplane. There was no other damage to the aircraft other than the left main gear. Also, there were no injuries. During the preflight, no damage or cracks were discovered. Also no evidence of the problem was discovered during the review of the maintenance logs. Apparently the cause was a stress fracture which I feel would have been difficult to detect, under normal inspections.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH 23 ON LNDG ROLLOUT EXPERIENCED L MAIN LNDG GEAR STRUT FAILURE INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER A NORMAL LNDG. ON THE LNDG ROLLOUT IT BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CTL THE ACFT. AT APPROX 10-20 KTS THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME UP, THE L WING DROPPED, AND THE R WING CAME UP. I NOTICED SPARKS FROM THE L SIDE AND THE ACFT BEGAN PULLING TO THE L. THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP ON THE RWY AND I NOTIFIED MDW TWR WE WERE UNABLE TO EXIT THE RWY AND NEEDED ASSISTANCE. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE ACFT AND EXITING, I NOTICED THE L MAIN GEAR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE STRUT. THE STRUT HAD COMPLETELY SEVERED IN TWO, DIRECTLY ABOVE THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE TYPE ACFT IS A BEECHCRAFT SUNDOWNER WHICH IS A SINGLE ENG, FIXED GEAR, 4 SEAT AIRPLANE. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OTHER THAN THE L MAIN GEAR. ALSO, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DURING THE PREFLT, NO DAMAGE OR CRACKS WERE DISCOVERED. ALSO NO EVIDENCE OF THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE REVIEW OF THE MAINT LOGS. APPARENTLY THE CAUSE WAS A STRESS FRACTURE WHICH I FEEL WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO DETECT, UNDER NORMAL INSPECTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A beech 23 on landing rollout experienced left main landing gear strut failure incurring damage to the aircraft.