Aeronca champ pilot inadvertently applies the wrong brake and departs the runway at Z41.

Attributes
ACN	594479
Time
Date	200309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : z41.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aeronca Champion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 17
ASRS Report	594479
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical excursion : runway non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was coming into land on runway 31 at the strip on lake hood. I think there was no wind, beautiful day. As I touched down and started to apply the brakes, I must have not hit the right brake, and hit the seatbelt cord instead. It seemed like the plane just rotated to the left. I tried even harder to get the plane straight and the plane spun 180 degrees as I entered onto the grass. As I shut off the plane and pushed it out of the way, I looked over the plane and the left tire looked low. No damage to the plane or runway. I made sure that the propeller and (right) wing looked ok. It happened kind of fast, but that is what I remember to the best of my knowledge. Corrective action: I would say, be more precise before landing and not assume all is good, keep an eye out for odd things that could happen, watch where my feet are, make sure before landing that the controls are free and clear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AERONCA CHAMP PLT INADVERTENTLY APPLIES THE WRONG BRAKE AND DEPARTS THE RWY AT Z41.

Narrative: I WAS COMING INTO LAND ON RWY 31 AT THE STRIP ON LAKE HOOD. I THINK THERE WAS NO WIND, BEAUTIFUL DAY. AS I TOUCHED DOWN AND STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, I MUST HAVE NOT HIT THE R BRAKE, AND HIT THE SEATBELT CORD INSTEAD. IT SEEMED LIKE THE PLANE JUST ROTATED TO THE L. I TRIED EVEN HARDER TO GET THE PLANE STRAIGHT AND THE PLANE SPUN 180 DEGS AS I ENTERED ONTO THE GRASS. AS I SHUT OFF THE PLANE AND PUSHED IT OUT OF THE WAY, I LOOKED OVER THE PLANE AND THE L TIRE LOOKED LOW. NO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE OR RWY. I MADE SURE THAT THE PROP AND (R) WING LOOKED OK. IT HAPPENED KIND OF FAST, BUT THAT IS WHAT I REMEMBER TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I WOULD SAY, BE MORE PRECISE BEFORE LNDG AND NOT ASSUME ALL IS GOOD, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ODD THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN, WATCH WHERE MY FEET ARE, MAKE SURE BEFORE LNDG THAT THE CTLS ARE FREE AND CLR.

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.