Incident Overview
A commercial pilot experienced a loss of directional control during the landing rollout of a single-engine airplane on an 80-foot-wide gravel runway. The incident occurred after the nose landing gear tire made contact with the runway following an otherwise normal landing.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, as soon as the nose wheel touched down, the airplane began to pull to the left. Despite applying opposite brake, rudder, and nose wheel steering, the pilot was unable to control the direction of the aircraft. A physical examination of the scene revealed that the airplane had touched down left of the runway centerline. The left wing subsequently collided with mesquite bushes located alongside the left edge of the runway.
Pilot Observations and Unconfirmed Report
The pilot stated that he suspected a failure of the steering rod or steering collar for the nose wheel steering. He further reported that a member of the recovery crew, who recovered the wreckage, informed him that the steering collar rod was fractured. However, the nature of the fracture was not determined, and the report from the recovery crew could not be confirmed due to the subsequent sale of the wreckage.
Runway Conditions
The pilot noted that the gravel on the runway was very loose. One of the pilots involved compared the sensation of operating the airplane in the loose gravel to riding on ball bearings, indicating a lack of traction stability.