Narrative:

While taxiing on taxiway H in preparation for takeoff; the aircraft began to shudder violently and the captain reported a loss of nosewheel steering. As the aircraft came to a stop; still on taxiway H but off of the centerline; the captain set the parking brake. The flight attendant came to the cockpit to inquire on the aircraft status. A check from the crew in both the cockpit and outside (through windows) yielded no requirement to evacuate/evacuation the passenger. Fearing that there may be an unseen issue with the landing gear; the captain elected to open the airstair door and visually inspect the exterior of the aircraft. Prior to; and during the captain's inspection; I attempted to notify ZZZ ground control of our situation. I believe that due to the shaking of the aircraft and loud ambient noise (engine as well as passenger) I was unable to transmit from the first officer position on both communication #1 and communication #2. The captain returned to the flight deck and notified us that a pin connecting the nosewheel steering had come out; and we had a loss of steering. The pin was reconnected and steering was established. I alerted the captain to our loss of communication. An airport worker contacted the captain and we returned to the FBO for a further inspection. I was unable to transmit from the first officer position until I discovered that the 'push-to-talk' switch was sticking; not allowing a complete transmission. Most likely as a result of the aircraft shaking. The captain was able to transmit from his position. We discovered that unknown ground personnel had 'pinned' the landing gear and incorrectly reconnected the nosewheel steering without the crew present. Due to the size of the pin; and its location; the captain did not notice that the pin was seated incorrectly and that the cotter pin used to secure the main pin (as a safety back-up) was not installed correctly. No injuries to persons or damage to the aircraft occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GII FO REPORTS STEERING MALFUNCTION ON TAXI OUT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED NOSE GEAR STEERING PIN.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING ON TXWY H IN PREPARATION FOR TKOF; THE ACFT BEGAN TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY AND THE CAPT RPTED A LOSS OF NOSEWHEEL STEERING. AS THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP; STILL ON TXWY H BUT OFF OF THE CTRLINE; THE CAPT SET THE PARKING BRAKE. THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO INQUIRE ON THE ACFT STATUS. A CHK FROM THE CREW IN BOTH THE COCKPIT AND OUTSIDE (THROUGH WINDOWS) YIELDED NO REQUIREMENT TO EVAC THE PAX. FEARING THAT THERE MAY BE AN UNSEEN ISSUE WITH THE LNDG GEAR; THE CAPT ELECTED TO OPEN THE AIRSTAIR DOOR AND VISUALLY INSPECT THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT. PRIOR TO; AND DURING THE CAPT'S INSPECTION; I ATTEMPTED TO NOTIFY ZZZ GND CTL OF OUR SITUATION. I BELIEVE THAT DUE TO THE SHAKING OF THE ACFT AND LOUD AMBIENT NOISE (ENG AS WELL AS PAX) I WAS UNABLE TO XMIT FROM THE FO POS ON BOTH COM #1 AND COM #2. THE CAPT RETURNED TO THE FLT DECK AND NOTIFIED US THAT A PIN CONNECTING THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING HAD COME OUT; AND WE HAD A LOSS OF STEERING. THE PIN WAS RECONNECTED AND STEERING WAS ESTABLISHED. I ALERTED THE CAPT TO OUR LOSS OF COM. AN ARPT WORKER CONTACTED THE CAPT AND WE RETURNED TO THE FBO FOR A FURTHER INSPECTION. I WAS UNABLE TO XMIT FROM THE FO POS UNTIL I DISCOVERED THAT THE 'PUSH-TO-TALK' SWITCH WAS STICKING; NOT ALLOWING A COMPLETE XMISSION. MOST LIKELY AS A RESULT OF THE ACFT SHAKING. THE CAPT WAS ABLE TO XMIT FROM HIS POS. WE DISCOVERED THAT UNKNOWN GND PERSONNEL HAD 'PINNED' THE LNDG GEAR AND INCORRECTLY RECONNECTED THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING WITHOUT THE CREW PRESENT. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE PIN; AND ITS LOCATION; THE CAPT DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE PIN WAS SEATED INCORRECTLY AND THAT THE COTTER PIN USED TO SECURE THE MAIN PIN (AS A SAFETY BACK-UP) WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY. NO INJURIES TO PERSONS OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OCCURRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.