P206 veers off runway when nosewheel steering fails.

Attributes
ACN	347160
Time
Date	199609
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 61b
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 580 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	347160
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was returning from my first flight of the day for skydiver drops. In a C206, flight was normal, descent normal, approach normal, touchdown normal. Upon nosewheel contact with the runway, the plane veered sharply to the left and a skid ensued. The right wing raised and right wheel (main) left the ground. Upon this, the skid sharpened to the left and we left the runway heading into the terrain (desert). Striking the soft sand the nosewheel broke off and the nose/propeller impacted the ground, bringing the plane to a stop. History of nosewheel problems with this aircraft. 3 other pilots warned of shaky nosewheel steering tendencies and loss of control upon landing. This was brought to attention of owner on more than 1 occasion. No corrective action taken. Contributing factors: owners lack of concern over problem and questionable maintenance program. Pilot's willingness to fly plane even though concerned about problem with nosewheel. Conclusions: FAA officials found the nosewheel bearings to be bad and some components of the strut 'frozen' and concluded that these factors caused the plane to go off the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P206 VEERS OFF RWY WHEN NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAILS.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM MY FIRST FLT OF THE DAY FOR SKYDIVER DROPS. IN A C206, FLT WAS NORMAL, DSCNT NORMAL, APCH NORMAL, TOUCHDOWN NORMAL. UPON NOSEWHEEL CONTACT WITH THE RWY, THE PLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE L AND A SKID ENSUED. THE R WING RAISED AND R WHEEL (MAIN) LEFT THE GND. UPON THIS, THE SKID SHARPENED TO THE L AND WE LEFT THE RWY HDG INTO THE TERRAIN (DESERT). STRIKING THE SOFT SAND THE NOSEWHEEL BROKE OFF AND THE NOSE/PROP IMPACTED THE GND, BRINGING THE PLANE TO A STOP. HISTORY OF NOSEWHEEL PROBS WITH THIS ACFT. 3 OTHER PLTS WARNED OF SHAKY NOSEWHEEL STEERING TENDENCIES AND LOSS OF CTL UPON LNDG. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO ATTN OF OWNER ON MORE THAN 1 OCCASION. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: OWNERS LACK OF CONCERN OVER PROB AND QUESTIONABLE MAINT PROGRAM. PLT'S WILLINGNESS TO FLY PLANE EVEN THOUGH CONCERNED ABOUT PROB WITH NOSEWHEEL. CONCLUSIONS: FAA OFFICIALS FOUND THE NOSEWHEEL BEARINGS TO BE BAD AND SOME COMPONENTS OF THE STRUT 'FROZEN' AND CONCLUDED THAT THESE FACTORS CAUSED THE PLANE TO GO OFF THE RWY.

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.