What happened
During the landing phase, the experienced captain encountered an unexpected rightward drift while operating on a dry runway under conditions of negligible wind. Despite applying rudder, power adjustments, and nosewheel steering inputs, these controls proved insufficient to regain directional control. The initial drift quickly translated into a strong swerve to the right. In response, the crew continued to apply full left nosewheel steering and simultaneous braking.
The aircraft ultimately departed from the right side of the runway. Observers noted that the nosewheel tracked straight into the snow without producing skid marks, indicating a lack of traction or steering engagement at the point of impact.
The investigation
Subsequent testing revealed a critical mechanical issue: reduced nosewheel steering effectiveness occurred as nose strut compression decreased due to the engagement of the centering cam. A physical check of the brake and nosewheel steering systems confirmed there was no standard mechanical malfunction or failure in the hardware itself.
Findings
The captain reported that the aircraft had a "nose high" taxi attitude, which contributed to a pitch-sensitive flight characteristic. Furthermore, both the captain and other pilots noted significant difficulty in achieving equal braking pressure during conditions requiring large rudder pedal displacement. This specific handling condition was not addressed in the pilot or operations manuals.
Safety message
The incident highlights a gap in operational guidance regarding nosewheel steering limitations associated with strut compression changes and pitch sensitivity, which are not currently covered in existing flight manuals.