Narrative:

After a fuel and rest stop in ZZZ; after takeoff; the rudder seemed to be deviated to the left requiring increased right rudder input for straight flight. I returned to ZZZ and landed after contacting the FSS to close my flight plan; that I had not had a chance to open. Landing and rollout were seemingly normal except for the increased right rudder input. Subsequent inspection revealed the nose gear strut to have leaked and the nosewheel to be stuck to the left. A prior nosewheel heavy landing had not been appreciated. I was not aware of the cause until 3 days later. I was not sure whether an incident report was required or not. I did not submit one and was not asked to do so by ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 PILOT REPORTED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DIFFICULTY ON TAKEOFF AND NOTICED AFTER LANDING THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS DAMAGED FROM A PREVIOUS LANDING.

Narrative: AFTER A FUEL AND REST STOP IN ZZZ; AFTER TKOF; THE RUDDER SEEMED TO BE DEVIATED TO THE L REQUIRING INCREASED R RUDDER INPUT FOR STRAIGHT FLT. I RETURNED TO ZZZ AND LANDED AFTER CONTACTING THE FSS TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN; THAT I HAD NOT HAD A CHANCE TO OPEN. LNDG AND ROLLOUT WERE SEEMINGLY NORMAL EXCEPT FOR THE INCREASED R RUDDER INPUT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE NOSE GEAR STRUT TO HAVE LEAKED AND THE NOSEWHEEL TO BE STUCK TO THE L. A PRIOR NOSEWHEEL HVY LNDG HAD NOT BEEN APPRECIATED. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE CAUSE UNTIL 3 DAYS LATER. I WAS NOT SURE WHETHER AN INCIDENT RPT WAS REQUIRED OR NOT. I DID NOT SUBMIT ONE AND WAS NOT ASKED TO DO SO BY ATC.

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.