Narrative:

While doing takeoffs and landing practice on runway 17L at dwh, winds 150 degrees at 10 KTS. First landing was ok, second landing required a go around. The airplane kept yawing to the right making the landing unsafe. On takeoff and best rate of climb (67 KTS) the plane maintained its yaw to the right even with full left rudder deflection. In order to avoid stalling the plane at low altitude by attempting to make a turn back to the airport, I decided to land the plane on a pattern dirt field on the southwest end of runway 17R. I was able to land the plane safely without injury to myself, damage to the aircraft or private property. The aircraft was later inspected by the school's a&P mechanic and an FAA inspector and nothing was found wrong with the rudder controls. The only logical conclusion would be that it was pilot error, but to the best of my recollection the aircraft rudder controls malfunctioned. When I resume my training towards my private pilot certificate, I will review training in the areas of crosswind lndgs and effects of primary flight controls, aeronautical decision making and spatial disorientation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TRAINEE LANDS INTENTIONALLY IN DIRT OFF RWY THINKING SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ACFT (C152) RUDDER AT DWH.

Narrative: WHILE DOING TKOFS AND LNDG PRACTICE ON RWY 17L AT DWH, WINDS 150 DEGS AT 10 KTS. FIRST LNDG WAS OK, SECOND LNDG REQUIRED A GAR. THE AIRPLANE KEPT YAWING TO THE R MAKING THE LNDG UNSAFE. ON TKOF AND BEST RATE OF CLB (67 KTS) THE PLANE MAINTAINED ITS YAW TO THE R EVEN WITH FULL L RUDDER DEFLECTION. IN ORDER TO AVOID STALLING THE PLANE AT LOW ALT BY ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN BACK TO THE ARPT, I DECIDED TO LAND THE PLANE ON A PATTERN DIRT FIELD ON THE SW END OF RWY 17R. I WAS ABLE TO LAND THE PLANE SAFELY WITHOUT INJURY TO MYSELF, DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR PVT PROPERTY. THE ACFT WAS LATER INSPECTED BY THE SCHOOL'S A&P MECH AND AN FAA INSPECTOR AND NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH THE RUDDER CTLS. THE ONLY LOGICAL CONCLUSION WOULD BE THAT IT WAS PLT ERROR, BUT TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION THE ACFT RUDDER CTLS MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN I RESUME MY TRAINING TOWARDS MY PVT PLT CERTIFICATE, I WILL REVIEW TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF XWIND LNDGS AND EFFECTS OF PRIMARY FLT CTLS, AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

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.