Accident Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III N227ML,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 321383

Date:	Saturday 2 January 2010
Time:	15:21
Type:	Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III
Owner/operator:	Locair
Registration:	N227ML
MSN:	AC-472
Year of manufacture:	1982
Total airframe hrs:	25998 hours
Engine model:	Garrett TPE331-11U
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	Somerset-Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, KY (SME) - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI)
Destination airport:	Somerset-Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, KY (SME/KSME)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Swearingen SA227AC Metro III, N227ML, ran off the side of runway 23 during landing roll at the Somerset-Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, KY (SME). The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated by Locair, as flight 151, an on-demand air taxi flight, with an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) at 13:20, the same day.
According to the pilot, during landing roll, the nose wheel locked, causing the airplane to veer right. He countered with full left rudder, but was unable to bring the airplane under control. The airplane departed the runway on the north side, crossed the taxiway, and went down a small embankment. The airplane came to rest against the airports boundary fence.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found the airplane substantially damaged with the right wing folded back just outboard of the right wing flap.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Damaged wiring in the nosewheel steering harness, which resulted in a loss of control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilots' improper touchdown point."

Accident investigation: