Cessna 414A N140KM accident near Tampa, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to secure a bottle, which restricted movement of the right rudder pedal during landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that while on approach to the destination airport, he had difficulty with the airplane’s autopilot and pitch trim. He was able to resolve those issues and land the airplane; however, during the landing roll, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder and brake inputs, but the airplane continued to the left. It exited the runway, passed through grass, and impacted an airport taxiway sign, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear and substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage. Once the airplane was stopped, the pilot noticed a bottle was wedged behind the right rudder pedal and was restricting its movement. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA26LA087 for the full record.