Loss of aircraft control during landing procedure crosswind in an small aircraft. Pilot's left shoe ...

Attributes
ACN	358872
Time
Date	199701
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ash
State Reference	NH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eyw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 6235 flight time type : 135
ASRS Report	358872
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Computerized WX brief just prior to flight revealed suitable conditions for crosswind landing practice in anticipation of long range cross country flight. Had exceeded reported wind conditions on occasion in past when skills were very sharp. Deliberately set out to fly this occasion to brush up on crosswind taxi/takeoff and landing procedures. First takeoff and landing (stop and go) were fine, second takeoff fine. On second landing set up forward slip to compensate for direct crosswind. While in the flare, left shoe fell off while applying left rudder (right wing low for right crosswind), shoe landed in front of left rudder pedal and heel brake. Right crosswind started to pivot aircraft to right and I discovered shoe blocked access to left rudder bar and heel brake. Without left rudder brake capability I was unable to prevent aircraft from turning right into wind. Confirmed throttle idle and stick full aft as aircraft departed runway to right onto level grass area. Finally kicked shoe free of pedals and gently braked to a stop with one shoe on, one shoe off. No damage to aircraft or airport property. Taxied back to ramp and shut down for thorough inspection -- no damage. Despite nearly 20 yrs experience and 6200+ hours of accident/incident free flying unable to overcome effects of errant shoe on crosswind technique. Conclusion: in future will pay more attention to proper fit of shoes before commencing operations at or near reasonable limits of performance/skill envelope.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF ACFT CTL DURING LNDG PROC XWIND IN AN SMA. PLT'S L SHOE CAME OFF AND JAMMED THE L RUDDER AND BRAKE PEDAL. RWY EXCURSION ENSUED.

Narrative: COMPUTERIZED WX BRIEF JUST PRIOR TO FLT REVEALED SUITABLE CONDITIONS FOR XWIND LNDG PRACTICE IN ANTICIPATION OF LONG RANGE XCOUNTRY FLT. HAD EXCEEDED RPTED WIND CONDITIONS ON OCCASION IN PAST WHEN SKILLS WERE VERY SHARP. DELIBERATELY SET OUT TO FLY THIS OCCASION TO BRUSH UP ON XWIND TAXI/TKOF AND LNDG PROCS. FIRST TKOF AND LNDG (STOP AND GO) WERE FINE, SECOND TKOF FINE. ON SECOND LNDG SET UP FORWARD SLIP TO COMPENSATE FOR DIRECT XWIND. WHILE IN THE FLARE, L SHOE FELL OFF WHILE APPLYING L RUDDER (R WING LOW FOR R XWIND), SHOE LANDED IN FRONT OF L RUDDER PEDAL AND HEEL BRAKE. R XWIND STARTED TO PIVOT ACFT TO R AND I DISCOVERED SHOE BLOCKED ACCESS TO L RUDDER BAR AND HEEL BRAKE. WITHOUT L RUDDER BRAKE CAPABILITY I WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT ACFT FROM TURNING R INTO WIND. CONFIRMED THROTTLE IDLE AND STICK FULL AFT AS ACFT DEPARTED RWY TO R ONTO LEVEL GRASS AREA. FINALLY KICKED SHOE FREE OF PEDALS AND GENTLY BRAKED TO A STOP WITH ONE SHOE ON, ONE SHOE OFF. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR ARPT PROPERTY. TAXIED BACK TO RAMP AND SHUT DOWN FOR THOROUGH INSPECTION -- NO DAMAGE. DESPITE NEARLY 20 YRS EXPERIENCE AND 6200+ HRS OF ACCIDENT/INCIDENT FREE FLYING UNABLE TO OVERCOME EFFECTS OF ERRANT SHOE ON XWIND TECHNIQUE. CONCLUSION: IN FUTURE WILL PAY MORE ATTN TO PROPER FIT OF SHOES BEFORE COMMENCING OPS AT OR NEAR REASONABLE LIMITS OF PERFORMANCE/SKILL ENVELOPE.

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.

Loss of aircraft control during landing procedure crosswind in an small aircraft. Pilot's left shoe came off and jammed the left rudder and brake pedal. Runway excursion ensued.