P206 VEERS OFF RWY WHEN NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAILS.

Narrative

I WAS RETURNING FROM MY FIRST FLT OF THE DAY FOR SKYDIVER DROPS. IN A C206; FLT WAS NORMAL; DSCNT NORMAL; APCH NORMAL; TOUCHDOWN NORMAL. UPON NOSEWHEEL CONTACT WITH THE RWY; THE PLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE L AND A SKID ENSUED. THE R WING RAISED AND R WHEEL (MAIN) LEFT THE GND. UPON THIS; THE SKID SHARPENED TO THE L AND WE LEFT THE RWY HDG INTO THE TERRAIN (DESERT). STRIKING THE SOFT SAND THE NOSEWHEEL BROKE OFF AND THE NOSE/PROP IMPACTED THE GND; BRINGING THE PLANE TO A STOP. HISTORY OF NOSEWHEEL PROBS WITH THIS ACFT. 3 OTHER PLTS WARNED OF SHAKY NOSEWHEEL STEERING TENDENCIES AND LOSS OF CTL UPON LNDG. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO ATTN OF OWNER ON MORE THAN 1 OCCASION. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: OWNERS LACK OF CONCERN OVER PROB AND QUESTIONABLE MAINT PROGRAM. PLT'S WILLINGNESS TO FLY PLANE EVEN THOUGH CONCERNED ABOUT PROB WITH NOSEWHEEL. CONCLUSIONS: FAA OFFICIALS FOUND THE NOSEWHEEL BEARINGS TO BE BAD AND SOME COMPONENTS OF THE STRUT 'FROZEN' AND CONCLUDED THAT THESE FACTORS CAUSED THE PLANE TO GO OFF THE RWY.