Manhattan Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manhattan, Kansas 66502
Monday, March 15, 2004 17:15 CST

The aircraft was substantially damaged when the nose wheel collapsed as the pilot attempted to taxi back onto the runway after departing the pavement during landing rollout on runway 3. The nose wheel steering was inoperative and had been deferred in accordance with the operator's Minimum Equipment List (MEL). In that situation, the nose wheel was in the "free castor mode." The MEL states that directional control is to be maintained by using brakes and differential power. The pilot reported that the landing touch down was on the centerline, however, shortly afterward the aircraft encountered an "overwhelming" wind gust which caused it to weathervane to the left. He reported that he applied full right rudder and differential right braking which was effective in stopping the aircraft's drift. However, the aircraft encountered a second "much stronger and sustained" gust, which caused the aircraft to "veer strongly to the left." His subsequent efforts to maintain directional control through the use of differential braking and differential engine thrust were insufficient to keep the aircraft from departing the runway pavement. The aircraft came to rest in the soft grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot attempted to taxi back onto the runway, however, the nose wheel contacted the edge of the pavement and collapsed. Distinct ruts were observed in the soft turf adjacent to the left side of the runway. The nose wheel tire track approached the edge of the pavement at approximately a 20-degree angle and terminated at the edge of the runway. The track was approximately eight inches deep relative to the level of the runway pavement. The published maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the aircraft was 22 knots. The operator did not impose a crosswind component limitation on operations in general or on operations with the nose wheel steering inoperative under the MEL. Surface winds provided to the flight crew by the control tower were 310 degrees at 23 knots, gusting to 30 knots.

The captain's improper decision due to his attempt to taxi back onto the runway after coming to a stop in the grass, and the resulting collapse of nose landing gear. Contributing factors were the inoperative nose wheel steering, the pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll due to the crosswind, and the high crosswind component. Additional factors were the uneven transition between the grass and the runway pavement, as well as the soft grass.