20131022022629A

Aircraft N137LM entered a left downwind traffic pattern at Watsonville at approximately 1406 local. The wind at the time as recorded by the national wether service was ssw at 8KTS. The weather was VFR and runway was dry. The pilot reported that at the time of turning from downwind to base leg, the right rudder had stopped responding and the aircraft started to drift to the left. The pilot touched down approximately 1500 feet down the runway and to the left and incicated that she continued to drift left, departing the runway and striking the delta taxiway sign with the left gear. After striking the sign the aircraft continued on a high speed roll (as stated in the pilots written account). The aircraft crossed the grass, delta taxiway, across the grass again and then across alpha taxiway. At this point the aircraft rolled downhill collapsing and shearing off the nose landing gear. The aircraft continued to slide approximately 25 feet. The prop struck the ground, breaking the prop and bending the engine mounts downward. The firewall and structure behind was damaged, the pilots rudder pedal shaft was displaced and bellcrank snapped . The left landing gear and mount are damaged and left side of the fuselage aft of the left gear. There were no injuries.