What happened
During a solo training flight at Boundary Bay Airport, a Cessna 152, registration C-GJKE, experienced a sudden and severe left yaw immediately upon lifting off from Runway 12. The student pilot, who was performing circuits as part of a private pilot training program, found that while left rudder control remained functional, the right rudder could not be applied to counteract the deviation.
Despite attempting to use aileron inputs to stabilize the aircraft, the plane continued a left turn of approximately 180 degrees at an altitude of about 80 feet. The pilot declared an emergency and attempted to land on Runway 25. The aircraft touched down at an angle on the runway and veered into the grass. As the aircraft traveled through a swale, the nose gear collapsed, causing the plane to come to a stop on its nose. There were no injuries resulting from the incident.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's flight control systems, including the rudder, control cables, and pedals, finding no obvious anomalies in their general operation. The investigation also looked into whether items in the cockpit, such as the pilot's footwear or objects falling from the passenger seat, had jammed the pedals, but these possibilities were dismissed.
Technical focus shifted to the nosewheel steering tube assemblies. While the left-hand assembly functioned normally, the right-hand assembly was found to be operating differently. Specifically, a spring and a bent spring retainer washer were identified within the right-hand unit. Although testing showed the unit could still withstand design loads even in its damaged state, the investigation could not definitively determine if this internal damage occurred during the accident or if it was a pre-existing condition.