PA-46 Malibu Meridian
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 57; Flight Crew Total 98; Flight Crew Type 53
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Aircraft
In preparation for landing began to perform the before landing checklist. Fuel pump and Ignition was turned to manual per the checklist. Copilot made all radio calls. Entered a left downwind at approximately 1;600 feet - lowered gear at approximately 155 kts. in the downwind and put in the 1st notch of flaps. Started my base at approximately 6 miles from the airport and put in second notch of flaps at approximately 106-108 kts. Approach angle was good and speed was good. Turbulence was negligible and winds were light. Brought the plane down on centerline; pulled the power to idle and flared at the numbers. Touched down the mains approximately couple hundred feet past that point. The plane was centered and everything appeared to be functioning properly.Once the nosewheel touched down the plane made an immediate hard right turn and headed off the runway. At that point I took corrective action and began to apply left rudder to steer the plane back to the centerline. Nose wheel steering was unresponsive. At that point I applied more left rudder to try and keep the plane from exiting the runway. The plane exited the runway into the grass. The plane began to slow rapidly - after approximately 100-200 feet the nose wheel collapsed and the plane came to an immediate stop.During landing the nose wheel steering did not respond to pilot inputs. According to the airport supervisor's inspection of tire markings on the runway once the nose wheel touched down it immediately pointed the aircraft into a right turn and never changed course. I believe that this was a mechanical failure of the nose wheel steering in the Piper M600.
Piper M600 pilot reported loss of directional control after landing due to the apparent failure of the nose wheel steering.