- Date
- April 19, 2014, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sturgis, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4890WRockwell International 114
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA South Bend FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140419005799A
- Case key
- 89096
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A cracked nose landing gear pulley, which resulted in the binding of the nosewheel steering system.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, due to a right crosswind, he applied full left rudder and right aileron during the approach for landing. When the nose landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane immediately veered to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and right brake to no effect. The airplane veered off the runway and the nose gear hit a hole, which resulted in the right wing impacting the terrain. The examination of the nose landing gear steering system revealed that one of the pulleys on the right side of the nose landing gear was cracked and would not turn. Further examination revealed that it was possible for the steering cable to bind in the crack of the pulley and not allow the nose gear to move.
Factual narrative
On April 19, 2014, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell International 114, N4890W, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the left side of Runway 06 while landing at the Kirsch Municipal Airport (IRS), Sturgis, Michigan. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operating on a flight plan. The airplane departed from the Fulton County Airport (RCR), Rochester, Indiana, about 1430. The pilot reported that he applied full left rudder and right aileron during the approach for landing due to a right crosswind. He reported that the winds were steady below 400 feet above ground level from 100 degrees at 8 knots. When the nose landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane immediately veered to the left. He applied full right rudder and right brake, but without effect. The airplane veered off the runway and the nose gear hit a hole, which resulted in the right wing impacting the terrain and sustaining substantial damage. The examination of the nose landing gear steering system revealed that one of the pulleys on the right side of the nose landing gear was cracked and would not turn. Further examination revealed that it was possible for the steering cable to bind in the crack of the pulley and not allow the nose gear to move.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4890W
- Reported as
- Rockwell International 114
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 14220
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 2,316
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-T4B5D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Murphy Patrick M
- Registered owner
- Murphy Patrick M
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2014
- Departed
- RCR · Rochester, IN
- Destination
- IRS · Sturgis, MI
- Airport
- IRS · Kirsch Municipal Airport, runway 06, 3,601 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 25, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,651 total · 1,538 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 6 knots, gusting 9
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- IRS
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 13, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.