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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

October 18, 1994 · Questair Venture · N62V

Wheeling, IL

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 18, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Wheeling, IL
Aircraft
Questair Venture
Tail Number
N62V
Operator
Questair
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CHI95LA015

THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS LANDING IN A LIGHT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE UPWIND LANDING GEAR TIRE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE DOWNWIND MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE NOSE GEAR TIRE TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT VERY RAPIDLY ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY EDGE, ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOD AND CARTWHEELED TO THE LEFT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STEERING AND BRAKES ARE HYDRAULICALLY ACTIVATED. IF THE BALL OF THE FOOT IS ABOVE THE RUDDER PEDALS PIVOT POINT THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING IS ACTIVATED AND PRE-LOADS THE SYSTEM. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSEWHEEL'S CENTERING DEVICE IS DEACTIVATED. THE PRE-LOADED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN THE STEERING SYSTEM WILL MAKE THE NOSEWHEEL TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PEDAL THAT APPLIED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER PEDAL PIVOT POINT HEIGHT ABOVE THE COCKPIT FLOOR BY THE DESIGN PERSONNEL.

Full Narrative

On October 18, 1994, at 1630 central daylight time (cdt), a Henry Bouley Venture M-20, N62V, registered to Questair, Incorporated, of Waukegan, Illinois, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing. The airplane departed the east edge of runway 16 (5,137' X 100', dry concrete) at the Palwaukee Airport, Wheeling, Illinois, shortly after landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Waukegan, Illinois, at 1600 cdt. During an interview the pilot stated he had made a crosswind landing and had touched down on the upwind main landing gear tire. He said the downwind main landing gear tire touched down followed shortly by the nose wheel. He said the airplane veered to the left very rapidly once the nose gear tire touched down. After departing the runway, N62V rolled onto soft sod for about 200 feet. The airplane, according to the pilot, cartwheeled to the left after its left main landing gear tire sank into the soft sod. The on-scene investigation revealed that the nose landing gear steering and braking are accomplished by hydraulic pressure. The nose landing gear had an internal centering device that was released when pressure was placed upon the strut during landing. The airplane is equipped with toe brakes. Application of brake pedal when using the rudder, with the nose landing gear centered, will apply hydraulic pressure to the nose wheel steering. When the nose wheel centering device is disengaged the nose wheel will move in the direction of the applied hydraulic pressure. When the rudder pedal is moved forward, with the ball of the foot at or above the pedal's hinge point, the top of the pedal rotated forward. A male size 11 shoe will cause this to happen when the heel of the foot is resting on the airplane's cockpit floor. The amount of forward pedal movement regulates the amount of hydraulic pressure applied to the steering system.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:30 CDT
Nearest AirportPalwaukee Airport (1nm E)
Runway16
Runway Length5137 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftQuestair Venture
Tail NumberN62V
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorQuestair
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsVenture · M-20 · Reciprocating
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 24 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind180° @ 5 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time21:30
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data