Pilot Debrief

CESSNA U206 near Grangeville, ID — 2010-08-23

Final reportWPR10LA421
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Date
2010-08-23
Location
Grangeville, ID, USA
Airport
S80
Aircraft
CESSNA U206
Registration
N29100
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to fly with a known defective nosewheel assembly, which resulted in a loss of directional control and nose-over on landing after the assembly shifted out of alignment during the flight.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the landing roll on a turf airstrip, he noticed rattling and shaking after the nosewheel touched down, but had no problem holding a straight line. After taxiing to the tie-down area and parking the airplane, the pilot inspected the nose gear and found that the upper end of the nose gear scissor had separated from the casting and was lying on the tire. The pilot reported that he walked out to where he touched down and observed tire tracks on the grass, and it appeared that the nosewheel track began after a large ground squirrel hole. The pilot contacted his mechanic, who informed him that he should be able to fly home if he tied the nose gear scissor up. Before departing, the pilot taxied about 1,000 feet on the runway and made two 180-degree turns with no problems encountered. During the landing at his destination, the pilot held the nose gear off of the ground for about 1,500 feet. When the nosewheel contacted the ground, the airplane made a hard left turn that the pilot could not stop with right rudder and brake. When the airplane reached the edge of the runway, it nosed over. The pilot indicated that the nosewheel had evidently cocked 90 degrees prior to the landing.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing after noticing the airplane rattling and shaking.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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