RV-8
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 16500; Flight Crew Type 23
Confusion; Distraction; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
I was landing on Runway 26. It was day time VMC; the winds were pretty much down the runway at less than 10 KTS. I executed a normal 3 point landing; the aircraft rolled straight for just a few seconds and then veered hard to the right and departed the runway. I had applied full left rudder; left brake; and right aileron to stop the aircraft without effect. When the aircraft departed the runway; it slid sideways in dirt until hitting a ridge where the damage occurred. No personal injuries and the aircraft was slightly damaged. I have over 2;000 hours in conventional gear aircraft and have never seen one veer so hard without some sort of either impute or external force. I really have no idea what happened. Subsequent web posts lead me to believe that there is a main gear toe issue that leads to such a problem. Having had my wheel pants off and visually inspecting the main tires; I did not notice any abnormal wear on the tires. But I will have the repair facility check the toe in/out and the tailwheel steering.
A RV8's nose wheel is suspected of causing the aircraft to depart the runway after landing when it veered hard right and neither braking; rudder nor aileron inputs could counter the turn.