A C172 on landing rollout experienced a runway excursion due to a dragging left brake.

Attributes
ACN	473633
Time
Date	200005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ric.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	473633
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical excursion : runway incursion : taxiway other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Landing on runway 20 ric, winds light and down the runway. On touchdown and rollout, plane began swerving left towards side of runway. Left brake appeared to be locked. Ran off into grass a few ft and taxied back onto runway. No damage to aircraft or lighting. After getting back on runway, was told to hold short of taxiway C. Turned onto taxiway C from active runway. Ground control told me that I was supposed to hold short on runway and that I was on taxiway C already. I believe I turned onto taxiway C automatically as I was concerned about running off the runway and possible repercussions and was not used to holding short of the runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a C172 and maintenance inspected the left brake pads and caliper and replaced the pads. The reporter said the FAA has made no contact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 ON LNDG ROLLOUT EXPERIENCED A RWY EXCURSION DUE TO A DRAGGING L BRAKE.

Narrative: LNDG ON RWY 20 RIC, WINDS LIGHT AND DOWN THE RWY. ON TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT, PLANE BEGAN SWERVING L TOWARDS SIDE OF RWY. L BRAKE APPEARED TO BE LOCKED. RAN OFF INTO GRASS A FEW FT AND TAXIED BACK ONTO RWY. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR LIGHTING. AFTER GETTING BACK ON RWY, WAS TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY C. TURNED ONTO TXWY C FROM ACTIVE RWY. GND CTL TOLD ME THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HOLD SHORT ON RWY AND THAT I WAS ON TXWY C ALREADY. I BELIEVE I TURNED ONTO TXWY C AUTOMATICALLY AS I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT RUNNING OFF THE RWY AND POSSIBLE REPERCUSSIONS AND WAS NOT USED TO HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A C172 AND MAINT INSPECTED THE L BRAKE PADS AND CALIPER AND REPLACED THE PADS. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA HAS MADE NO CONTACT.

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.