N393BCessna 180J · 1973

On December 20, 2014, about 1030 Alaska standard time, a Cessna 180J airplane, N393B, experienced a flight control anomaly after takeoff, and an emergency landing was performed to the Nome Airport, Nome, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the incident occurred. The solo certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Nome, Alaska, about 1025 destined for Council, Alaska.

The pilot reported that about three seconds after takeoff the airplane made an uncommanded hard right turn, he attempted to correct for the right turn with left rudder, but the airplane continued to the right. The pilot then inputted nearly full left aileron, and the airplane began a gradual left turn. After returning the ailerons to the neutral position, the airplane once again made an immediate right turn. The pilot corrected with left aileron, and made an emergency landing to runway 28 at the Nome Airport. During the emergency landing the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway and impacted a snow berm sustaining minor damage to the landing gear.

The airplane was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector. From the pilot's position, the rudder is controlled by two cables which proceed from the rudder control bar, make about a 90 degree turn toward the tail via two phenolic pulleys and attach to their respective rudder bellcranks. Two cables then proceed from the top of the rudder bellcranks to their respective attach points on the rudder control horn, while two tailwheel steering cables attach to the lower rudder bellcranks make about a 90 degree turn via two phenolic pulleys to their respective attach points on the tailwheel. During the inspection, the inspector reported that the right tailwheel steering cable had jumped off its pulley and became bound between the pulley and the pulley bracket, disabling the rudder system. He noted that the pulley's guard pin was in place, and that the steering cable had separated approximately 9 inches from the rudder bellcrank, and exhibited features consistent with overload.

The closest weather reporting facility was Nome Airport. At 1053, a weather observation from Nome Airport was reporting, in part: wind calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; scattered clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature, 9 degrees F; dew point 3 degrees F; altimeter, 29.30 inHG.