NTSB Factual Report

On March 26, 2005, about 1700 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182, N5748B, operated by its owner-pilot, experienced a mechanical malfunction during takeoff roll at the McClellan Airfield, Sacramento, California. The pilot immediately reversed course and returned for a landing on runway 34. According to the pilot, during rollout the airplane shook and he lost directional control. The airplane veered sharply left, and it nosed down until the right wing impacted the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged. Neither the private pilot nor the two passengers were injured during the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and it originated about 1630.

The pilot indicated that although runway 34 is 10,600 feet long by 200 feet wide, he was not able to control the airplane's course during landing rollout because of the mechanical problem related to his lack of nose gear steering control. During the subsequent airframe examination, a nose gear steering linkage component was observed broken.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector subsequently examined the damaged airplane and reported his findings. The FAA inspector stated that the right side steering link assembly rod end appeared to have fractured in fatigue. The fracture occurred outboard of the link's jam nut at its hard point casting on the nose gear assembly. Following the link's separation, the left side steering link rod end failed in overload, and the dampener internal static stop limit was exceeded, resulting in the dampener shearing off at its attachment point.

NTSB Probable Cause

a fatigue failure of the right side steering link rod for the nose landing gear steering system.