# NTSB CHI95LA015: Questair Venture, N62V, Wheeling, IL, October 18, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 18, 1994, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Wheeling, IL - Coordinates: 42.129852, -87.920501 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1299&lon=-87.9205&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9779 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA015 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9779/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA015 ## Probable cause THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER PEDAL PIVOT POINT HEIGHT ABOVE THE COCKPIT FLOOR BY THE DESIGN PERSONNEL. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,steering system - deployed inadvertently (cause) - directional control - not possible, pilot in command - acft/equip,inadequate design, production/design personnel (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, other - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS LANDING IN A LIGHT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE UPWIND LANDING GEAR TIRE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE DOWNWIND MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE NOSE GEAR TIRE TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT VERY RAPIDLY ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY EDGE, ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOD AND CARTWHEELED TO THE LEFT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STEERING AND BRAKES ARE HYDRAULICALLY ACTIVATED. IF THE BALL OF THE FOOT IS ABOVE THE RUDDER PEDALS PIVOT POINT THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING IS ACTIVATED AND PRE-LOADS THE SYSTEM. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSEWHEEL'S CENTERING DEVICE IS DEACTIVATED. THE PRE-LOADED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN THE STEERING SYSTEM WILL MAKE THE NOSEWHEEL TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PEDAL THAT APPLIED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE SYSTEM. ## Factual narrative On October 18, 1994, at 1630 central daylight time (cdt), a Henry Bouley Venture M-20, N62V, registered to Questair, Incorporated, of Waukegan, Illinois, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing. The airplane departed the east edge of runway 16 (5,137' X 100', dry concrete) at the Palwaukee Airport, Wheeling, Illinois, shortly after landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Waukegan, Illinois, at 1600 cdt. During an interview the pilot stated he had made a crosswind landing and had touched down on the upwind main landing gear tire. He said the downwind main landing gear tire touched down followed shortly by the nose wheel. He said the airplane veered to the left very rapidly once the nose gear tire touched down. After departing the runway, N62V rolled onto soft sod for about 200 feet. The airplane, according to the pilot, cartwheeled to the left after its left main landing gear tire sank into the soft sod. The on-scene investigation revealed that the nose landing gear steering and braking are accomplished by hydraulic pressure. The nose landing gear had an internal centering device that was released when pressure was placed upon the strut during landing. The airplane is equipped with toe brakes. Application of brake pedal when using the rudder, with the nose landing gear centered, will apply hydraulic pressure to the nose wheel steering. When the nose wheel centering device is disengaged the nose wheel will move in the direction of the applied hydraulic pressure. When the rudder pedal is moved forward, with the ball of the foot at or above the pedal's hinge point, the top of the pedal rotated forward. A male size 11 shoe will cause this to happen when the heel of the foot is resting on the airplane's cockpit floor. The amount of forward pedal movement regulates the amount of hydraulic pressure applied to the steering system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62V-1997-03-05), registration cancelled 1997-03-05, S/N 102 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: QUESTAIR VENTURE - Registry model: [Bouley Henry VENTURE 20](https://openairdocs.org/model/bouley-henry-venture-20) (registry code 05624LZ) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 102 - Engines: VENTURE M-20 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Questair, Inc. - Registered owner: Questair, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: UGN, WAUKEGAN, IL - Airport: PWK, Palwaukee Airport, runway 16, 5,137 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 374 total, 23 in this make and model, 304 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 5 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Observed at: PWK, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19941018035069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941018035069A), Oct 18, 1994: Amtr VENTURE, Chicago/Wheelin, IL, Substantial damage. Nose wheel cocked by improper rudder pressure landing. Veered off runway. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.