N88VZPiper PA 46-350P · 1998

On November 18, 2018, about 1247 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N88VZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Petersburg, West Virginia. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot stated that he entered an extended right base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 13, where he lowered the flaps to 10° and extended the landing gear. He then extended the flaps to 20° and turned onto final approach for runway 13 while maintaining 103 knots indicated airspeed, adding that the wind was calm. He confirmed that the landing gear position indicator lights were illuminated green on final approach and did not recall if he lowered the flaps to 36°.

The pilot further stated that, before touchdown, the yaw damper was off, the rudder trim was near neutral, and both rudder pedals were centered. The main landing gear touched down smoothly in the landing zone, and he then felt the airplane slide, similar to being on an ice patch. He did not recall if the nose landing gear was on the runway before or at the time of the slide. He immediately applied right rudder and brake to maintain directional control, and as the airplane started to veer to the left, he moved the power lever into beta to slow the airplane; however, he was unable to keep the airplane on the runway with rudder input. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, impacted a small berm, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest upright with the engine running. After securing the airplane, he walked the runway and did not see any ice but did see "solid rubber marks on the runway showing the nose gear leaving a solid thick line of rubber."

In August 2008, the airplane was modified in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST00541SE with the installation of a 560 shaft horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-35 engine and a Hartzell HC-E4N-3N/D8292B-Z constant-speed, full manual feathering, reversible, four-bladed propeller.

According to the STC holder, the nose landing gear actuator, nose landing gear assembly, nose landing gear steering system components including the nose landing gear steering bungee, and the nose landing gear rake angle were not changed as a result of the modification.

Review of the maintenance records revealed that the airplane's last annual inspection was on July 11, 2018. The entry for the inspection indicated that the nose landing gear rake angle was adjusted to 89.9° (specification is 90.0° to 090.5°), and the nose gear steering free play was also adjusted. The entry also indicated that a new nose landing gear tire, P/N 560-04-112, and tube were installed. The airplane had accumulated about 55 hours since the inspection at the time of the accident.

The pilot did not report any issues related to engine or propeller control rigging since the annual inspection was completed.

Nose wheel steering is performed by actuation of either rudder pedal at the rudder bar assembly, which is connected by push/pull rods to a steering bellcrank. A single push/pull rod connects the steering bellcrank to a bungee, which is then connected by a single push/pull rod to a steering arm above the nose landing gear trunnion assembly. Rudder primary control input was also performed by actuation of the rudder pedals, which were connected by control cables.

In August 2008, the airplane was modified in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST00541SE with the installation of a 560 shaft horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-35 engine and a Hartzell HC-E4N-3N/D8292B-Z constant-speed, full manual feathering, reversible, four-bladed propeller.

According to the STC holder, the nose landing gear actuator, nose landing gear assembly, nose landing gear steering system components including the nose landing gear steering bungee, and the nose landing gear rake angle were not changed as a result of the modification.

Review of the maintenance records revealed that the airplane's last annual inspection was on July 11, 2018. The entry for the inspection indicated that the nose landing gear rake angle was adjusted to 89.9° (specification is 90.0° to 090.5°), and the nose gear steering free play was also adjusted. The entry also indicated that a new nose landing gear tire, P/N 560-04-112, and tube were installed. The airplane had accumulated about 55 hours since the inspection at the time of the accident.

The pilot did not report any issues related to engine or propeller control rigging since the annual inspection was completed.

Nose wheel steering is performed by actuation of either rudder pedal at the rudder bar assembly, which is connected by push/pull rods to a steering bellcrank. A single push/pull rod connects the steering bellcrank to a bungee, which is then connected by a single push/pull rod to a steering arm above the nose landing gear trunnion assembly. Rudder primary control input was also performed by actuation of the rudder pedals, which were connected by control cables.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the runway and airplane, the airplane came to rest on airport property partially in a ditch about 2,430 ft from the approach end of runway 13 and about 120 ft north of the northern edge of runway 13. The main landing gear were extended and the nose landing gear was collapsed. All propeller blades exhibited varying amounts of blade bending.

Review of pictures and video provided by the pilot revealed two parallel skid marks on the runway. The first identifiable mark was left of the runway centerline immediately adjacent to a paving seam. The mark continued for a short distance paralleling the runway centerline, while the second mark was located slightly farther down the runway near the runway centerline. Both marks began arching to the left and continued to the northern edge of the runway; the markings showed a sharper radius left turn near the edge of the runway. Two ground scars continued on the grass north of the runway, and in the grass, a third ground scar left of the left-most ground scar was noted. According to a picture provided by the pilot, damage to the collar of the nose landing gear trunnion was noted.

The airplane was transported to a repair station where repairs were performed, which included removal of the propeller, engine, and nose landing gear assembly. According to personnel of the facility, rigging checks of the engine or propeller controls were not performed, and a check of the nose landing gear steering rake angle could not be performed due to damage. The main and nose landing gear tire pressures were not determined. There was no evidence of scuffing of the nose landing gear tire sidewall, nor was there evidence of slippage of the nose landing tire or tube on the wheel. The bolt that secured the nose landing gear actuator to the engine mount was fractured, consistent with shear. The nose landing gear steering bungee was intact with no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

According to a representative of the airframe manufacturer, the damage to the collar of the nose landing gear trunnion was associated with contact by a lug of the nose landing gear oleo caused by overtravel of the nose landing gear tire to the airplane nose-right position.