Incident Overview
A certificated private pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings on runway 29 to maintain currency in a Piper PA-32-301T. During the third landing, after touchdown, the airplane veered to the right and departed the 75-foot-wide runway. The pilot reported that the rudder pedals felt mushy during the landing roll and that the airplane did not respond to inputs on the left rudder pedal. However, when she commanded a hard left turn to return to the pavement, the left rudder controls and nose wheel steering were operational. The impact with the runway edge collapsed the nose gear.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot had a total flight time of 464 hours, including 364 hours in the accident airplane. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 040 degrees at 10 knots.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA inspector and a certificated mechanic with Inspection Authorization examined the airplane. They found substantial damage to the nose gear, firewall, propeller, and fuselage. No pre-existing mechanical deficiencies with the steering, brakes, or flight controls were identified.
Previous Incident
Three months before the accident, on a previous flight in the same airplane, the pilot reported that the "nose wheel steering seemed squirrely as the airplane veered to the right and rudder pedal inputs were mushy." Following that flight, maintenance was performed that included replacing the left brake pads and tightening the nuts securing the nose wheel.
Other Pilot Reports
Other pilots who had recently flown the accident airplane reported nothing unusual with the nose wheel steering, but described the airplane as a "handful" during landings.