Small aircraft exits side of runway and rolls into a ditch when the nosewheel steering fails.

Attributes
ACN	242947
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : c35
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 1020
ASRS Report	242947
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After touchdown on the runway, the plane started going to the left. Right rudder was applied but it didn't help. Right brake was also applied but the plane continued left off the runway. Plane continued going to the left in the dew wet grass tapering down to a ditch, and just before completely stopping, finally slipped into the ditch. I would like to advise you further, if and when we find the reason we could not steer the plane to the right, as we feel something happened to the nosewheel steering. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a frozen bearing was found in the nose gear which rendered nosewheel inoperative. When the aircraft entered the ditch, the nose gear was damaged and the propeller was bent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA EXITS SIDE OF RWY AND ROLLS INTO A DITCH WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAILS.

Narrative: AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON THE RWY, THE PLANE STARTED GOING TO THE L. R RUDDER WAS APPLIED BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. R BRAKE WAS ALSO APPLIED BUT THE PLANE CONTINUED L OFF THE RWY. PLANE CONTINUED GOING TO THE L IN THE DEW WET GRASS TAPERING DOWN TO A DITCH, AND JUST BEFORE COMPLETELY STOPPING, FINALLY SLIPPED INTO THE DITCH. I WOULD LIKE TO ADVISE YOU FURTHER, IF AND WHEN WE FIND THE REASON WE COULD NOT STEER THE PLANE TO THE R, AS WE FEEL SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A FROZEN BEARING WAS FOUND IN THE NOSE GEAR WHICH RENDERED NOSEWHEEL INOP. WHEN THE ACFT ENTERED THE DITCH, THE NOSE GEAR WAS DAMAGED AND THE PROP WAS BENT.

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.