Small aircraft departs runway during landing and is damaged.

Attributes
ACN	161616
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 4n8
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lou
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	161616
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While landing in a crosswind at white birch field (grass runway), I had set the aircraft down on the first 1/3 of the runway at the recommended airspeed. I immediately experienced a complete loss of braking power as I attempted to use the hand brake. I pumped it up and down several times with my right-hand and held the control wheel to my chest with my left-hand. The aircraft was not slowing down satisfactorily so as to avoid the possibility of running over the embankment at the north end of the runway. At that point in time and space, I elected to steer the aircraft off the runway, to the right, to avoid injury to myself and my passenger. I kicked the right rudder hard to provide this exit through a small opening. At this point there was a slight drop-off where water collected and mud had formed. The main wheels of the aircraft stuck fast in the mud and the aircraft came to an abrupt stop. The fork of the nose wheel broke off, freeing the nose wheel, and the nose pitched forward causing a sudden stoppage of the propeller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEPARTS RWY DURING LNDG AND IS DAMAGED.

Narrative: WHILE LNDG IN A XWIND AT WHITE BIRCH FIELD (GRASS RWY), I HAD SET THE ACFT DOWN ON THE FIRST 1/3 OF THE RWY AT THE RECOMMENDED AIRSPD. I IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING PWR AS I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE HAND BRAKE. I PUMPED IT UP AND DOWN SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY RIGHT-HAND AND HELD THE CTL WHEEL TO MY CHEST WITH MY LEFT-HAND. THE ACFT WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN SATISFACTORILY SO AS TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF RUNNING OVER THE EMBANKMENT AT THE N END OF THE RWY. AT THAT POINT IN TIME AND SPACE, I ELECTED TO STEER THE ACFT OFF THE RWY, TO THE RIGHT, TO AVOID INJURY TO MYSELF AND MY PAX. I KICKED THE RIGHT RUDDER HARD TO PROVIDE THIS EXIT THROUGH A SMALL OPENING. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS A SLIGHT DROP-OFF WHERE WATER COLLECTED AND MUD HAD FORMED. THE MAIN WHEELS OF THE ACFT STUCK FAST IN THE MUD AND THE ACFT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE FORK OF THE NOSE WHEEL BROKE OFF, FREEING THE NOSE WHEEL, AND THE NOSE PITCHED FORWARD CAUSING A SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE PROP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.