What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N720TM operated as PVO720 on 10/16/19. The aircraft departed iad at 1148Z.
PVO720 checked on with fltrk while enroute to kric and was told to expect ILS16.
At 1205 PVO720 requested to break off ILS16 approach because of nose gear not centering. They took delaying vectors to work out issue and declared an emergency at 1212. The pilots requested to do a fly by ric tower. Called into ric at 1214. They were cleared for the ILS16 for the flyby.
1226 Ric advised gear appeared down. They were vectored back around for another approach.
Upon touchdown of the nose wheel the aircraft began pulling to the right. The pilots managed controls to keep the aircraft on the runway but were unable and the aircraft veered off into the grass.
Inspection with Textron revealed an underserviced nose strut. No indication of corrosion on selector valve. They replaced the centering cam but it did not show signs of failure. All other tests for the nose wheel steering were unable to duplicate the problem.
As the FAA filed it
N720TM OPERATED AS PVO720 ON 10/16/19. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED IAD AT 1148Z.
PVO720 CHECKED ON WITH FLTRK WHILE ENROUTE TO KRIC AND WAS TOLD TO EXPECT ILS16.
AT 1205 PVO720 REQUESTED TO BREAK OFF ILS16 APPROACH BECAUSE OF NOSE GEAR NOT CENTERING. THEY TOOK DELAYING VECTORS TO WORK OUT ISSUE AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AT 1212. THE PILOTS REQUESTED TO DO A FLY BY RIC TOWER. CALLED INTO RIC AT 1214. THEY WERE CLEARED FOR THE ILS16 FOR THE FLYBY.
1226 RIC ADVISED GEAR APPEARED DOWN. THEY WERE VECTORED BACK AROUND FOR ANOTHER APPROACH.
UPON TOUCHDOWN OF THE NOSE WHEEL THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOTS MANAGED CONTROLS TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY BUT WERE UNABLE AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF INTO THE GRASS.
INSPECTION WITH TEXTRON REVEALED AN UNDERSERVICED NOSE STRUT. NO INDICATION OF CORROSION ON SELECTOR VALVE. THEY REPLACED THE CENTERING CAM BUT IT DID NOT SHOW SIGNS OF FAILURE. ALL OTHER TESTS FOR THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
Other reports on N720TM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.