Incident Summary
Before departing from Reno, the aircraft underwent a ramp check by the FAA with no discrepancies noted. The flight was crewed by a private pilot and an airline transport pilot. The private pilot was responsible for landing, while the airline transport pilot was responsible for completing the before-landing checklist, which included checking the position of the nose wheel steering tiller.
Landing and Sequence of Events
Upon touchdown, the aircraft veered left of the runway centerline. The private pilot attempted to correct by applying brakes with right rudder input. The aircraft slowed but continued to veer left. The propellers were placed into beta mode, but the aircraft continued to the left, departing the runway, striking a light, and collapsing the nose gear.
Post-Incident Examination
Witnesses reported seeing a cloud of smoke emanating from the nose gear upon landing. Signature marks found at the initial touchdown point on the runway were consistent with the nose gear not being in the centered position. The aircraft traveled approximately 200 to 300 feet before veering left of centerline. No discrepancies were noted with the aircraft's braking system. Examination of the nose gear steering cables revealed that the cables were significantly under tensioned.
Maintenance History
After repairs, the airline transport pilot ferried the aircraft to an airport in California, with no discrepancies noted during that flight. A report submitted by the owner of the aircraft indicated nose gear difficulties dating back to August 1992. The report further stated that if the actuator cables were improperly tensioned, the tiller could visually indicate a horizontal position without the nose wheel being centered.