What happened
During the landing roll, the aircraft veered off the paved surface to the right side. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control by applying left rudder input, but the deviation continued despite these corrective efforts. As the aircraft left the runway environment, it struck a ditch located adjacent to the pavement. The impact caused the nose gear assembly to separate completely from the airframe.
The investigation
Following the accident, mechanics inspected the aircraft during the repair process. They discovered that the right brake master cylinder was sticking. This mechanical failure prevented proper operation of the braking system on that side. The sticking cylinder caused the nose gear to cock or angle sharply to the right. This misalignment contributed significantly to the loss of directional control and the subsequent departure from the runway.
Findings
The investigation identified a critical mechanical defect as the primary factor in the accident sequence. The right master cylinder was found to be sticking, which directly caused the nose gear to cock to the right. This condition compromised the pilot's ability to steer the aircraft effectively during the landing roll. The combination of the steering failure and the subsequent impact with the ditch resulted in the separation of the nose gear.