On May 18, 2003, a Beech B19 (registration N24006) was involved in an aviation accident near Chandler, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll due to his inadvertent use of brakes. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During the landing roll, the airplane drifted left of the centerline. The pilot's rudder corrections led to sharp veering, and the airplane departed the runway, striking a taxiway sign with its right wing. The pilot suspected inadvertent toe brake application.
Sequence of Events
The accident occurred during the landing roll. The airplane began to drift left of the runway centerline. The pilot applied right rudder pressure to counteract the drift, which caused the airplane to veer sharply to the right. To correct for this overcompensation, the pilot applied left rudder pressure, resulting in a sharp left veer. After repeating this sequence, the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The right wing subsequently collided with a taxiway sign.
Pilot's Observations
The pilot reported that he might have inadvertently applied pressure to the toe brakes during his attempted corrections, rather than using the rudder pedals. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported prior to the accident.