PA-31 Navajo/Chieftan/Mojave/T1040
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 140; Flight Crew Total 2300; Flight Crew Type 26
Distraction; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
I started my day by arriving at the airport [early] this morning. I got a cart out and hooked up the Chieftain to tow it to self serve it to get my fuel for the trip to ZZZ. I unpinned the nose gear linkage and towed it to the fuel farm; took the fuel I needed; then towed it back. It was raining pretty heavily by now and ceilings were reported overcast at 800 feet. After towing it back to the passenger pickup area I took the golf cart back to the hangar and put it away; then went back to the FBO to do final weather check; file flight plans; and load snacks and drinks. After giving gas enough time to settle I went out to the airplane to do the preflight. I did a walk around; sumped the fuel; checked the oil; but apparently missed putting the pin back in for the nose gear linkage. The passengers arrived on time and we departed within a few minutes of our targeted departure time. We broke out of the clouds at around 4;000 feet and had nice smooth flying for the whole 2.3 hrs down to ZZZ with a slight tailwind. The approach and landing were normal except for a bit after I had lowered the gear and verified three green I felt a slight 'clunk' and a stiffening of the rudder pedals like it usually does once the nose gear is down and locked. The abnormality was that I had already had a three green indication well before feeling that click. I verified three green again and everything felt normal at that point. Touchdown was smooth and I lowered the nose wheel slowly and then I started hearing a scrubbing noise. I immediately knew it what it was and pulled the yoke all the way back and held it there during slowdown without hitting the brakes. Fortunately I was close to my aft CG which I'm sure helped to keep the nose wheel off the ground a lot longer. As the tail lost lift the nose wheel touched the ground and started slowly pulling to the right side of the runway. I was almost completely stopped by the time the right main gear dropped off the small ledge of the pavement and onto the lower paved area of the runway lights. As soon as that happed the nose wheel stopped dragging and stopped pulling to the right. I let tower know we had an issue and asked for a tug and a ride for the passengers. When I deplaned I saw that the gear linkage pin was not installed and that the nose wheel had turned about 180 and was rolling smoothly again. After the passengers got off and were taken back to the FBO maintenance came out and we turned the wheel back around; installed the pin and hooked up a tug; then towed it to the maintenance hangar on the field.
PA-31 pilot reported not reconnecting the nose landing gear scissors pin prior to flight; resulting in a runway excursion on landing.