On September 7, 2002, a Cessna 195 (registration N4381V) was involved in an aviation accident near Longmont, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The separation of the tail wheel cables, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing rollout. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A sudden uncommanded left turn occurred after landing when the pilot attempted a right turn with full rudder input, resulting in wing tip contact and separated tail wheel cables.
What happened
Following the landing rollout, the aircraft began to slow down on the runway. The pilot initiated an attempt to turn right onto a taxiway by applying full right rudder pressure. Instead of turning right, the airplane executed a sudden and uncommanded ninety-degree left turn. During this maneuver, the right wing tip scraped against the pavement surface before the aircraft eventually came to a complete stop.
The investigation
After the incident, an examination of the airframe was conducted to determine the mechanical cause of the directional control failure. Inspections revealed that the tail wheel cables had separated. This structural failure prevented proper steering input from being transmitted to the nose wheel assembly.
Findings
The separation of the tail wheel cables was the primary factor in the loss of directional control during the ground maneuver. The pilot was able to use differential braking to taxi the aircraft back to the hangar for further repairs and inspection.
Probable cause
The separation of the tail wheel cables, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing rollout.