Cessna 182E N3186Y accident near Eugene, Oregon

Probable cause

Loss of directional control due to damage to the nosewheel strut that was sustained during a previous landing.

NTSB analysis

As the airplane’s nosewheel touched the ground, the airplane veered aggressively to the right then left. The pilot applied corrective control inputs, but the airplane departed the runway, tipped onto the left wing, and spun around.

The airplane’s nosewheel had been modified in accordance with a supplemental type certificate, which raised the nose of the airplane by 4 inches. The modified geometry resulted in the airplane being more susceptible to control difficulties during landing, unless a soft field landing technique was used. The pilot stated that the landing was normal, and there was no damage to the runway surface at the touchdown point to suggest otherwise. However, he stated that the airplane swerved aggressively on the previous landing earlier in the day during high gusting wind conditions.

Examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies with the steering system; however, there was damage to the firewall and nosewheel strut that indicated the nosewheel had struck the ground hard. Based on the pilot’s report that the airplane swerved aggressively during a landing earlier in the day, it is likely that the airplane was damaged during that landing, which caused the loss of control during the accident landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR21LA344 for the full record.