What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
4APR22 at kdab, N64791 departed taxiway November into the grass, damaging a taxiway light.
PIC stated aircraft did not have steering issues on previous flights that day. When taxiing from ramp onto taxiway, pilot noticed aircraft was pulling to the right. Pilot applied full left rudder and left brake with no change. Pilot stated he then reduced power and requested passenger to apply full left rudder and left brake. Aircraft continued to travel to the right. Pilot stated he shut down engine to attempt to slow aircraft, they hit a taxiway light and the aircraft went into the grass on the right side of the taxiway, coming to a complete stop.
PIC stated maintenance in Daytona Beach inspected aircraft and topped off hydraulic fluid and signed aircraft off to fly. PIC stated he taxied aircraft on ramp for 30 minutes prior to departing dab.
Investigation: I was notified by air traffic control that on 4/4/2022 at kdab N64791 departed taxiway November and struck a taxiway light. The FAA became aware on 4/4/2022.
Root cause analysis (rca): this incident was due to the pilot unable to control the nosewheel steering, even with full opposite rudder and brake. Mtx ASI inspected the aircraft on 4/14/22 and found no damage to the aircraft resulting from hitting the taxiway light. However, they did find several issues on the aircraft that could have contributed to the steering issue: worn brake pads, leaking left brake cylinder, nosewheel steering linkages corroded, tires worn to cord, weather cracking around nose gear tire, and nose gear strut not to proper inflation, along with several other findings that would not have caused this issue. Brake pads, tire wear, and strut inflation would have been easily visible during pilot preflight - however this aircraft was flown between the incident flight and when the mtx ASI was able to inspect it. Mtx ASI is following up with aircraft owner for necessary repairs.
Corrective action: pilot was attempting to prevent the taxiway excursion when he attempted to stop the turn from both sides of the aircraft, as well as shut down the engine.
Comments: I used counseling to regain safe operations. I am satisfied the ch?s corrective actions fully address the identified root cause(s) and have reestablished safe operations. I recommend no further action.
As the FAA filed it
4APR22 AT KDAB, N64791 DEPARTED TAXIWAY NOVEMBER INTO THE GRASS, DAMAGING A TAXIWAY LIGHT.
PIC STATED AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE STEERING ISSUES ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS THAT DAY. WHEN TAXIING FROM RAMP ONTO TAXIWAY, PILOT NOTICED AIRCRAFT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE WITH NO CHANGE. PILOT STATED HE THEN REDUCED POWER AND REQUESTED PASSENGER TO APPLY FULL LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRAVEL TO THE RIGHT. PILOT STATED HE SHUT DOWN ENGINE TO ATTEMPT TO SLOW AIRCRAFT, THEY HIT A TAXIWAY LIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO THE GRASS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY, COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP.
PIC STATED MAINTENANCE IN DAYTONA BEACH INSPECTED AIRCRAFT AND TOPPED OFF HYDRAULIC FLUID AND SIGNED AIRCRAFT OFF TO FLY. PIC STATED HE TAXIED AIRCRAFT ON RAMP FOR 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO DEPARTING DAB.
INVESTIGATION: I WAS NOTIFIED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT ON 4/4/2022 AT KDAB N64791 DEPARTED TAXIWAY NOVEMBER AND STRUCK A TAXIWAY LIGHT. THE FAA BECAME AWARE ON 4/4/2022.
ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS (RCA): THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE PILOT UNABLE TO CONTROL THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING, EVEN WITH FULL OPPOSITE RUDDER AND BRAKE. MTX ASI INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT ON 4/14/22 AND FOUND NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT RESULTING FROM HITTING THE TAXIWAY LIGHT. HOWEVER, THEY DID FIND SEVERAL ISSUES ON THE AIRCRAFT THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING ISSUE: WORN BRAKE PADS, LEAKING LEFT BRAKE CYLINDER, NOSEWHEEL STEERING LINKAGES CORRODED, TIRES WORN TO CORD, WEATHER CRACKING AROUND NOSE GEAR TIRE, AND NOSE GEAR STRUT NOT TO PROPER INFLATION, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER FINDINGS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THIS ISSUE. BRAKE PADS, TIRE WEAR, AND STRUT INFLATION WOULD HAVE BEEN EASILY VISIBLE DURING PILOT PREFLIGHT - HOWEVER THIS AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN BETWEEN THE INCIDENT FLIGHT AND WHEN THE MTX ASI WAS ABLE TO INSPECT IT. MTX ASI IS FOLLOWING UP WITH AIRCRAFT OWNER FOR NECESSARY REPAIRS.
CORRECTIVE ACTION: PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT THE TAXIWAY EXCURSION WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE TURN FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AIRCRAFT, AS WELL AS SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE.
COMMENTS: I USED COUNSELING TO REGAIN SAFE OPERATIONS. I AM SATISFIED THE CH?S CORRECTIVE ACTIONS FULLY ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED ROOT CAUSE(S) AND HAVE REESTABLISHED SAFE OPERATIONS. I RECOMMEND NO FURTHER ACTION.
Other reports on N64791 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.