Narrative:

I took off with a student from st augustine (sgj) for a training flight. The student wanted to practice touch-and-goes at an unfamiliar airport. I elected to go north to craig due to IMC at most of the airports to the west. The takeoff; climb and cruise to craig were all normal. I contacted the tower 8 mi south of the airport; advising that we were inbound for pattern work. We were told to report a 3 mi final; and at 3 mi we were given a touch-and-go clearance. The approach to the runway appeared normal. Upon touchdown the airplane veered to the left and the brakes locked up. I tried to steer using the rudders to avoid going off the runway; but lost all directional control of the aircraft. I was able to get the aircraft stopped about 6 inches from the side of the runway. After stopped; I informed the control tower of the situation. The runway was then closed; with the numerous aircraft on final sent around. After about 30 mins; a tug was sent to tow the aircraft off the runway. It was determined a part on the left strut had snapped in half; which had caused the entire wheel to turn almost 90 degrees to the left. On the preflight I had not noticed any defects in the landing gear/strut. I do not believe that there was any way I could know that the landing gear strut was defective. In the future; I plan to do a thorough preflight of the aircraft; and not rely so much on the student to do the preflight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT NARROWLY AVOID RWY EXCURSION WHEN LEFT MAIN WHEEL ASSEMBLY MISALIGNS 90 DEGREES DUE TO STRUCTURAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF WITH A STUDENT FROM ST AUGUSTINE (SGJ) FOR A TRAINING FLT. THE STUDENT WANTED TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GOES AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT. I ELECTED TO GO N TO CRAIG DUE TO IMC AT MOST OF THE ARPTS TO THE W. THE TKOF; CLB AND CRUISE TO CRAIG WERE ALL NORMAL. I CONTACTED THE TWR 8 MI S OF THE ARPT; ADVISING THAT WE WERE INBOUND FOR PATTERN WORK. WE WERE TOLD TO RPT A 3 MI FINAL; AND AT 3 MI WE WERE GIVEN A TOUCH-AND-GO CLRNC. THE APCH TO THE RWY APPEARED NORMAL. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE L AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. I TRIED TO STEER USING THE RUDDERS TO AVOID GOING OFF THE RWY; BUT LOST ALL DIRECTIONAL CTL OF THE ACFT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE ACFT STOPPED ABOUT 6 INCHES FROM THE SIDE OF THE RWY. AFTER STOPPED; I INFORMED THE CTL TWR OF THE SITUATION. THE RWY WAS THEN CLOSED; WITH THE NUMEROUS ACFT ON FINAL SENT AROUND. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINS; A TUG WAS SENT TO TOW THE ACFT OFF THE RWY. IT WAS DETERMINED A PART ON THE L STRUT HAD SNAPPED IN HALF; WHICH HAD CAUSED THE ENTIRE WHEEL TO TURN ALMOST 90 DEGS TO THE L. ON THE PREFLT I HAD NOT NOTICED ANY DEFECTS IN THE LNDG GEAR/STRUT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ANY WAY I COULD KNOW THAT THE LNDG GEAR STRUT WAS DEFECTIVE. IN THE FUTURE; I PLAN TO DO A THOROUGH PREFLT OF THE ACFT; AND NOT RELY SO MUCH ON THE STUDENT TO DO THE PREFLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.