Factual Information
On 10 January 2006, at 13:03 UTC, a Cessna T303 Crusader, registration OK-ELO, operated by Let's Fly s.r.o., was conducting a CPL skill test flight at Ostrava-Mošnov airport (LKMT). During a touch-and-go maneuver on runway 22, the aircraft suddenly veered left toward the runway edge. The pilot was unable to correct the deviation using controls or brakes, prompting the examiner to take over and perform an emergency landing. The aircraft exited the runway and came to a stop 48 meters from the left edge. The crew of two reported no injuries. The aircraft sustained damage to the forward fuselage, right wing root, and nose gear, and both propeller blades were bent.
Examination Findings
A technical investigation revealed multiple deficiencies in the nose landing gear. The front tire was underinflated due to a defective inner tube installed during a tire replacement on 20 December 2005. The tire used (P/N 606C86-3) had a stiffer construction than the manufacturer-recommended types. The shimmy damper contained 30% less fluid than specified, and the strut gas pressure was below requirements. The steering mechanism had excessive play and was asymmetrically adjusted, and a torque link stop was missing. No evidence of pre-existing fatigue was found in the torque link fracture, which was caused by an impact loading.
Conclusion
The investigation concluded that the combined effect of the nose gear deficiencies reduced its overall function, likely inducing undamped shimmy and causing the nose wheel fork to rotate approximately 90 degrees to the left. This led to an uncontrollable veer. The commission determined that the crew could not prevent the runway excursion, as it resulted from a technical defect in the nose landing gear. It was noted that the maintenance deficiencies could have been corrected during routine servicing.