N43793

On August 19, 2019, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane, N43793, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Spokane, Washington. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that the landing was “normal”; however, when the nose wheel touched down, the airplane “immediately turned right very sharply.” The pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the airplane and after exiting the right side of the runway, the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage.

Examination of the accident site revealed tire marks on the runway surface veering to the right and ending near the accident site. The airplane sustained buckling of the left upper wing surface and wing root area. The nose landing gear steering linkage and control rod was fractured. The control rod exhibited bending of the threaded shaft near the fracture and 45° shear lips and cupping on the fractured surface. The examination did not reveal any anomalies with the steering system that would have precluded normal operation.