Originally Posted by
jumby164
Word on the RAAF Grapvine is that the aircraft suffered a total nosewheel steering failure at takeoff speeds.
I wouldn't want to be using nosewheel steering at takeoff speed anyhow!
During a IF Takeoff in a PC-A in Pearce my student under the bag in the front seat engaged the nosewheel steering at about 58 kts trying to be smart in correcting back to the headings I was calling out. The aircraft rapidly pivoted 30deg left!.... I took control jumped on the brakes and and left two large black tire marks across 1/4 of the runway width as we departed the runway to the left, taking out an edge light on the way. I jumped a ditch and came to stop on the grass and then safed the ejection seats before shutting down. The PC9 seat was a 60/200 bang seat not a 0/0 rocket seat, if we were sitting on rockets seats would probably have pulled the handle for the both of us.
When we went back and walked over the tracks, could clearly see the big black tire marks across the runway and the dirt tracks in the grass, we skidded sideways between two concrete blocks before jumping the ditch (aprox 35kts with full backstick) and stopping.
Looking at the satellite view of 36R at YPEA and the gap between the concrete blocks of the arrestor cable system still makes me shiver.