What happened
During the ground roll of a takeoff attempt, the pilot experienced significant directional control problems. The aircraft failed to respond to right rudder inputs, prompting the pilot to initiate an early liftoff to prevent the plane from departing the left side of the pavement.
Because the aircraft did not achieve adequate airspeed during this maneuver, it settled back onto the ground while drifting to the left. Upon touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to spin until it came to a complete stop. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
An inspection of the aircraft by the airport manager revealed that the nose gear remained intact. However, investigators identified that the right linkage, which connects the nose gear steering collar to the rudder pedals, was broken and missing a component.
While an initial search of the taxiway and runway by the airport manager did not locate the missing piece, the pilot later reported finding the component 50 feet west of the accident site. Examination of the fracture face showed a rust-colored appearance covering approximately half of the break, while the remaining portion appeared shiny. The broken part was not submitted to the NTSB for formal examination.