Runway excursion in a night operation after loss of aircraft control. Non tower airport.

Attributes
ACN	266862
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : con
State Reference	NH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 2850 flight time type : 175
ASRS Report	266862
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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:

Piper arrow PA-28 swerved off the runway following a smooth landing on centerline on lighted runway in the dark. This, of course, caused further deviation to the right which resulted in an accelerating right turn and leaving the runway in a skidding right turn and into a snow bank at about 60 degree angle from runway at about 25 mph (3000 ft still ahead). No one was injured but the gear was damaged and the plane was stuck just to the outside of runway lights. The flight standards district office was called immediately and runway was closed until next morning when plane was removed. Causal factors: only 12 hours in last 90 days with very little time with feet on rudders to provide the feel of proper positioning. Wearing of hiking boots which reduced the 'feel' of feet being placed off the center of the pedal. An unstressful approach and therefore an unfelt need to get heels off the floor and onto the brakes for testing, which would have probably resulted in feeling that the left foot was not on the left pedal. Corrective or preventive measures: add brake check to landing checklist. More attention to keeping feet in same place during flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY EXCURSION IN A NIGHT OP AFTER LOSS OF ACFT CTL. NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: PIPER ARROW PA-28 SWERVED OFF THE RWY FOLLOWING A SMOOTH LNDG ON CTRLINE ON LIGHTED RWY IN THE DARK. THIS, OF COURSE, CAUSED FURTHER DEV TO THE R WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCELERATING R TURN AND LEAVING THE RWY IN A SKIDDING R TURN AND INTO A SNOW BANK AT ABOUT 60 DEG ANGLE FROM RWY AT ABOUT 25 MPH (3000 FT STILL AHEAD). NO ONE WAS INJURED BUT THE GEAR WAS DAMAGED AND THE PLANE WAS STUCK JUST TO THE OUTSIDE OF RWY LIGHTS. THE FLT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE WAS CALLED IMMEDIATELY AND RWY WAS CLOSED UNTIL NEXT MORNING WHEN PLANE WAS REMOVED. CAUSAL FACTORS: ONLY 12 HRS IN LAST 90 DAYS WITH VERY LITTLE TIME WITH FEET ON RUDDERS TO PROVIDE THE FEEL OF PROPER POSITIONING. WEARING OF HIKING BOOTS WHICH REDUCED THE 'FEEL' OF FEET BEING PLACED OFF THE CTR OF THE PEDAL. AN UNSTRESSFUL APCH AND THEREFORE AN UNFELT NEED TO GET HEELS OFF THE FLOOR AND ONTO THE BRAKES FOR TESTING, WHICH WOULD HAVE PROBABLY RESULTED IN FEELING THAT THE L FOOT WAS NOT ON THE L PEDAL. CORRECTIVE OR PREVENTIVE MEASURES: ADD BRAKE CHK TO LNDG CHKLIST. MORE ATTN TO KEEPING FEET IN SAME PLACE DURING FLT.

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.