Small transport has nosewheel steering problem on landing roll, runway excursion.

Attributes
ACN	257764
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5650 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	257764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

It was my first officer's leg and landing at msp. We were landing on runway 29R. Everything was fine during the landing and the start of the rollout. At 60 KTS, I took control of the airplane from my first officer and at approximately 35 KTS I told my first officer to bring the speed levers to the low position. About 2 seconds later, the airplane abruptly veered to the right. I applied left rudder and left brake, but was unable to regain control of the airplane. I disconnected the nosewheel steering, but could not keep the airplane from going off the right side of the runway. The airplane ended up approximately 50 ft off the runway in 3-4 inches of snow at about a 45 degree angle. Because of the slow speed, no one was hurt, and there was no damage done to the airplane. After inspecting the airplane the mechanics discovered a broken electrical wire on the nosewheel steering. I found out later that day that there are 6-8 reports a yr on this same problem, so mine was not an isolated case. I don't know what would work in fixing the problem, but I personally think the nosewheel steering system on the small transport is a poor design.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT HAS NOSEWHEEL STEERING PROB ON LNDG ROLL, RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: IT WAS MY FO'S LEG AND LNDG AT MSP. WE WERE LNDG ON RWY 29R. EVERYTHING WAS FINE DURING THE LNDG AND THE START OF THE ROLLOUT. AT 60 KTS, I TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM MY FO AND AT APPROX 35 KTS I TOLD MY FO TO BRING THE SPD LEVERS TO THE LOW POS. ABOUT 2 SECONDS LATER, THE AIRPLANE ABRUPTLY VEERED TO THE R. I APPLIED L RUDDER AND L BRAKE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CTL OF THE AIRPLANE. I DISCONNECTED THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING, BUT COULD NOT KEEP THE AIRPLANE FROM GOING OFF THE R SIDE OF THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE ENDED UP APPROX 50 FT OFF THE RWY IN 3-4 INCHES OF SNOW AT ABOUT A 45 DEG ANGLE. BECAUSE OF THE SLOW SPD, NO ONE WAS HURT, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO THE AIRPLANE. AFTER INSPECTING THE AIRPLANE THE MECHS DISCOVERED A BROKEN ELECTRICAL WIRE ON THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT DAY THAT THERE ARE 6-8 RPTS A YR ON THIS SAME PROB, SO MINE WAS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD WORK IN FIXING THE PROB, BUT I PERSONALLY THINK THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING SYS ON THE SMT IS A POOR DESIGN.

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.