Narrative:

Landing in st thomas on 11/2 with 19 passenger on board, we touched down when suddenly the aircraft started turning left, so sharply that I thought the aircraft would tip over. Reverse was applied on the right engine as well as full right rudder, brakes and right elevator. I immediately thought that the left brake had locked on us. We were fully grossed and the aircraft was definitely not slowing down fast enough to keep us on the runway. By the time we came to a complete stop, we were in full reverse and in the grass. The captain and myself proceeded to shut down the aircraft and I ordered an evacuation. At that time, I thought we had a locked brake on the left hand side, and coming across that dry grass, I thought there might have been a danger of fire (I didn't know if we blew a tire or not). I jumped out of the aircraft with the fire extinguisher, and proceeded to the left which seemed intact. I then helped the last passenger off the aircraft, then proceeded to do a full walk around. As I walked passed the nosewheel, I noticed it pointing to the left. It then became obvious to me that even though the before landing check was completed, the nosewheel steering was not centered on landing. Even though nothing faulty was found with the nosewheel, I strongly suspect that there was a problem with the ctring cam on the nosewheel. Also, to avoid further incidents of the sort, it might be a good idea to call for 'nosewheel centered' on short final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT SWERVED TO LEFT ON LNDG UNCONTROLLABLY DESPITE RIGHT REVERSING RIGHT BRAKE AND FULL RIGHT AILERON. ACFT CAME TO STOP OFF RWY IN THE GRASS. PASSENGERS DEPLANED. POSTFLT INSPECTION SHOWED NOSE WHEEL COCKED.

Narrative: LNDG IN ST THOMAS ON 11/2 WITH 19 PAX ON BOARD, WE TOUCHED DOWN WHEN SUDDENLY THE ACFT STARTED TURNING L, SO SHARPLY THAT I THOUGHT THE ACFT WOULD TIP OVER. REVERSE WAS APPLIED ON THE R ENG AS WELL AS FULL R RUDDER, BRAKES AND R ELEVATOR. I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT THAT THE L BRAKE HAD LOCKED ON US. WE WERE FULLY GROSSED AND THE ACFT WAS DEFINITELY NOT SLOWING DOWN FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP US ON THE RWY. BY THE TIME WE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, WE WERE IN FULL REVERSE AND IN THE GRASS. THE CAPT AND MYSELF PROCEEDED TO SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND I ORDERED AN EVACUATION. AT THAT TIME, I THOUGHT WE HAD A LOCKED BRAKE ON THE L HAND SIDE, AND COMING ACROSS THAT DRY GRASS, I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DANGER OF FIRE (I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE BLEW A TIRE OR NOT). I JUMPED OUT OF THE ACFT WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND PROCEEDED TO THE L WHICH SEEMED INTACT. I THEN HELPED THE LAST PAX OFF THE ACFT, THEN PROCEEDED TO DO A FULL WALK AROUND. AS I WALKED PASSED THE NOSEWHEEL, I NOTICED IT POINTING TO THE L. IT THEN BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THE BEFORE LNDG CHK WAS COMPLETED, THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING WAS NOT CTRED ON LNDG. EVEN THOUGH NOTHING FAULTY WAS FOUND WITH THE NOSEWHEEL, I STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT THERE WAS A PROB WITH THE CTRING CAM ON THE NOSEWHEEL. ALSO, TO AVOID FURTHER INCIDENTS OF THE SORT, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO CALL FOR 'NOSEWHEEL CTRED' ON SHORT FINAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.