Runway Excursion During Landing Rollout Following Loss of Directional Control (N9144S)

Accident Narrative

During the landing rollout phase, the airplane deviated from the runway laterally and subsequently struck a ditch located between 75 and 100 feet off the side of the runway. The pilot reported that after making a minor directional correction to the right, the aircraft became unresponsive to left steering inputs. The pilot then applied full rudder, at which point the aircraft entered an abrupt swerve to the left and departed the runway surface.

Damage and Testing

The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it incapable of conducting a high-speed taxi test. Such a test would have been necessary to evaluate the aircraft's response to nosewheel steering commands. The extent of the damage thus prevented a direct assessment of the nosewheel steering system's functionality post-accident.