Accident Details
On May 9, 2009, at 1405 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182M, registration N71165, veered off the runway during the landing roll at Madera Municipal Airport in Madera, California. The airplane, registered to and operated by Madera County Aircrafters, Inc., was being operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local personal flight. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured, but the airplane was substantially damaged.
Flight Information
The flight originated at Madera Municipal Airport at 1350. The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to remain in the traffic pattern and perform touch-and-go landings on runway 30. During the first landing, as the nose gear touched down, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot stated that the airplane did not respond to left rudder inputs, and application of the left brake resulted in only a slight correction toward the runway centerline. The airplane exited the right side of runway 30, crossed a grass-covered median, and impacted the taxiway edge. The nose gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the opposite side of the taxiway. Impact with the taxiway caused structural damage to the firewall and fuselage.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the steering linkages were extensively damaged in the accident; however, nose wheel steering continuity was established visually. According to the Automated Surface Observation System at Madera Municipal Airport, the 1353 observation reported wind from 290 degrees at 12 knots, clear skies, and no obstructions to visibility.
No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.