Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to reinstall the nose landing gear linkage prior to the flight which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that during landing following a local flight, the airplane oscillated left and right as he attempted to maintain directional control on the ground. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted in a ravine. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that before the flight he had reinstalled the nose landing gear steering arm but did not properly secure the steering linkage to the steering arm. Because he did not properly secure the steering linkage, the nose landing gear was not aligned with the runway during the landing.