Accident Summary
On August 12, 2021, at approximately 1443 Pacific daylight time, a North American T-28B airplane, registration N392W, sustained substantial damage during a landing accident near Puyallup, Washington. The aircraft was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The single pilot reported no injuries.
According to the pilot, after touching down on runway 35 at Pierce County-Thun Field (PLU), the nose wheel began to shimmy, and directional control was lost. Despite applying right brake to steer away from the runway edge, the airplane veered left. When the left main landing gear wheel departed the paved surface, the pilot executed emergency procedures: retracting the landing gear, shutting down the engine, and opening the canopy. After the aircraft came to a stop, a fire ignited in the grass beneath the engine nacelle, which was subsequently extinguished by emergency responders. The wings were substantially damaged.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose wheel steering components and the hydraulic shimmy damper remained intact and attached to their respective mounts. The shimmy damper piston rod moved freely when actuated by hand, compressing and extending normally. No hydraulic fluid leaks were observed on the damper. The inspection did not uncover any evidence of a pre-accident mechanical failure or malfunction that would have prevented normal operation.