What happened
The incident occurred during the second landing of the flight. As the aircraft touched down, it veered sharply to the left, departing the paved surface of the runway. The aircraft subsequently struck soft dirt and entered a drainage ditch, causing the nose gear to collapse and the aircraft to nosed over.
Prior to this event, the pilot reported that the aircraft had swerved during the first landing. The pilot expressed concern that the passenger seated in the left seat may have inadvertently applied pressure to the left rudder pedal during that initial touchdown. At the time of the incident, the pilot was controlling the aircraft from the right seat while the passenger occupied the left seat.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanics of the landing and the control inputs recorded by the pilot. Examination of the event revealed that the departure from the runway was directly linked to the lateral deviation during the touchdown phase. The subsequent impact with the terrain resulted in structural damage to the nose section of the aircraft.
Findings
Contributing factors to the accident included the aircraft's departure from the runway on landing and the pilot's decision-making regarding passenger control inputs. The pilot noted that the passenger might have had a foot on the left rudder pedal, which could have contributed to the swerving motion observed during both landings. The lack of positive control authority in the primary flight position may have exacerbated the situation.
Safety message
Pilots operating aircraft with dual controls must ensure that passengers are aware of the location and function of flight controls. Clear communication regarding foot placement is essential to prevent inadvertent rudder inputs that could compromise directional control during critical phases of flight, such as landing.