Narrative:

A new tailwheel manufactured by xy was installed in accordance with stc part prior to flight. Taxi out and takeoff were normal however on landing runway 24 at mri the aircraft pulled left when tailwheel contacted runway surface. Aircraft could not be stopped from going to the left, even with full rudder inputs, a crosswind from the right, and full right braking. Aircraft departed the paved surface at a speed estimated to be 30-40 KTS. No damage occurred. Upon stopping, the tailwheel was found to be jammed in a left turning moment. Subsequent tear down by my a and P mechanic found that a bottom washer was missing from the tailwheel assembly, allowing the steering arm bracket to make direct contact with the bottom panel and tailwheel assembly. Further, the number of spacers under the load swivel bearing were insufficient and consequently the entire weight of the aircraft resting on the tailwheel jammed the two main tailwheel sections (top and bottom) together. The defective tailwheel came from the factory missing the required washer and spacers. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states manufacturer denied they could have made a mistake. Has a 5 step quality control system. But reporter a and P found some parts missing. Was able to get the parts locally and have repairs made so has not followed up any further. Said he would let us know if he gets any further information. The wheel is approved for 2 models and is oversize for landing beaches and gravel strips.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS LOSS OF CTL AND RWY EXCURSION DUE NEW TAILWHEEL MINUS SPACERS AND WASHERS.

Narrative: A NEW TAILWHEEL MANUFACTURED BY XY WAS INSTALLED IAW STC PART PRIOR TO FLT. TAXI OUT AND TKOF WERE NORMAL HOWEVER ON LNDG RWY 24 AT MRI THE ACFT PULLED L WHEN TAILWHEEL CONTACTED RWY SURFACE. ACFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED FROM GOING TO THE L, EVEN WITH FULL RUDDER INPUTS, A XWIND FROM THE R, AND FULL R BRAKING. ACFT DEPARTED THE PAVED SURFACE AT A SPD ESTIMATED TO BE 30-40 KTS. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED. UPON STOPPING, THE TAILWHEEL WAS FOUND TO BE JAMMED IN A L TURNING MOMENT. SUBSEQUENT TEAR DOWN BY MY A AND P MECH FOUND THAT A BOTTOM WASHER WAS MISSING FROM THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY, ALLOWING THE STEERING ARM BRACKET TO MAKE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM PANEL AND TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY. FURTHER, THE NUMBER OF SPACERS UNDER THE LOAD SWIVEL BEARING WERE INSUFFICIENT AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ENTIRE WT OF THE ACFT RESTING ON THE TAILWHEEL JAMMED THE TWO MAIN TAILWHEEL SECTIONS (TOP AND BOTTOM) TOGETHER. THE DEFECTIVE TAILWHEEL CAME FROM THE FACTORY MISSING THE REQUIRED WASHER AND SPACERS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES MANUFACTURER DENIED THEY COULD HAVE MADE A MISTAKE. HAS A 5 STEP QUALITY CTL SYS. BUT RPTR A AND P FOUND SOME PARTS MISSING. WAS ABLE TO GET THE PARTS LOCALLY AND HAVE REPAIRS MADE SO HAS NOT FOLLOWED UP ANY FURTHER. SAID HE WOULD LET US KNOW IF HE GETS ANY FURTHER INFO. THE WHEEL IS APPROVED FOR 2 MODELS AND IS OVERSIZE FOR LNDG BEACHES AND GRAVEL STRIPS.

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.