What happened
During a landing under light and variable wind conditions, the aircraft made contact with the runway centerline. While the initial touchdown was reported as normal, the aircraft began to drift toward the right side of the runway during the landing roll. Despite the pilot applying full left rudder input, the plane continued to deviate from the paved surface. The excursion ended when the aircraft encountered large rocks situated in the area between the runway and the taxiway.
Findings
An inspection of the nosewheel steering system conducted after the accident showed no mechanical failures or anomalies that would have prevented the system from functioning correctly. However, investigators noted significant issues with the left nosewheel tire, which was underinflated and worn to the point that the internal cord was visible. Additionally, the outer half of the left nosewheel rim was missing one-third of its structure. The right nosewheel tire was found to be within acceptable operational limits. It remains undetermined if the tire imbalance played a role in the loss of directional control, or if the damage to the left tire occurred prior to the landing or during the excursion itself.