Pilot Debrief

LEARJET INC 60 near Teterboro, NJ — 2012-09-28

Final reportERA12IA582
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Date
2012-09-28
Location
Teterboro, NJ, USA
Airport
TEB
Aircraft
LEARJET INC 60
Registration
N862PA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

Failure of the nosewheel steering computer strut servo for reasons that could not be determined or replicated during postincident testing.

NTSB narrative

After pretakeoff checks revealed no anomalies, the pilots taxied the airplane to the runway for takeoff. Shortly after beginning the takeoff roll, they received an aural warning, and the nosegear steering disconnect light illuminated on the master caution panel. The airplane veered left, and the pilots aborted the takeoff. The airplane’s nose landing gear and left main landing gear exited the left side of the runway, where the airplane came to rest undamaged. During postincident maintenance and troubleshooting, the airplane’s nosewheel steering computer was replaced, and subsequent taxi tests confirmed normal operation of the steering. The removed nosewheel steering computer was sent to the manufacturer’s facility for further testing, where it performed within specifications. The unit’s history log indicated repeated attempts to calibrate the unit and ultimately a failure of the strut servo. However, the failure could not be replicated in postincident tests.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Abort takeoff after receiving a warning about nose gear steering issue.

NTSB coding

  • Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) · Takeoff

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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