A dislodged rudder spring contributed to the problems a student had with a crosswind landing at Y47.

Attributes
ACN	593054
Time
Date	200309
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	airport : y47.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
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 : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 24 flight time type : 24
ASRS Report	593054
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical excursion : runway inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was landing in a slight right to left crosswind. I initially touched down on the left side of the runway and bounced slightly. While airborne the aircraft drifted further left and the left landing gear went over the edge of the runway. With the incline, the aircraft was pulled the rest of the way off the runway and was ultimately brought to a stop in thick brush. Cause: inability to maintain directional control on touchdown. Contributing factor: dislodged rudder spring which increased the complexity of controling direction. Unsure of what can be done to prevent a recurrence, short of additional training in my case. There was no indication of a concern regarding directional control in flts prior to this on this day, other than noting extensive use of left rudder to compensate for dislodged rudder spring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DISLODGED RUDDER SPRING CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBS A STUDENT HAD WITH A XWIND LNDG AT Y47.

Narrative: I WAS LNDG IN A SLIGHT R TO L XWIND. I INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ON THE L SIDE OF THE RWY AND BOUNCED SLIGHTLY. WHILE AIRBORNE THE ACFT DRIFTED FURTHER L AND THE L LNDG GEAR WENT OVER THE EDGE OF THE RWY. WITH THE INCLINE, THE ACFT WAS PULLED THE REST OF THE WAY OFF THE RWY AND WAS ULTIMATELY BROUGHT TO A STOP IN THICK BRUSH. CAUSE: INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL ON TOUCHDOWN. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: DISLODGED RUDDER SPRING WHICH INCREASED THE COMPLEXITY OF CTLING DIRECTION. UNSURE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, SHORT OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN MY CASE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A CONCERN REGARDING DIRECTIONAL CTL IN FLTS PRIOR TO THIS ON THIS DAY, OTHER THAN NOTING EXTENSIVE USE OF L RUDDER TO COMPENSATE FOR DISLODGED RUDDER SPRING.

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.