A C172 pilot, flying a brand new aircraft, WX-vaned into the wind during landing rollout at fdk.

Attributes
ACN	598547
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fdk.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4.8 flight time total : 131 flight time type : 29.4
ASRS Report	598547
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After a normal landing and rollout, the aircraft swerved suddenly and rolled into the grass adjacent to the runway. The aircraft sustained a propeller strike and scrape to the wingtip. I was not aware of any action on my part as PIC that caused the swerve into the wind (reported as 240 degrees at 6 KTS on runway 30). I can speculate that a brake may have grabbed if I was beginning to apply them, but I do not know. A concern I had for other pilots flying the type (a new C172 with less than 20 hours on it) was the nose oleo strut feeling overly stiff and possibly extended or over svced. I had flown several other C172's in the rental fleet over the past 2 yrs and this aircraft felt different following my landing earlier in the day. I didn't feel it was a safety of flight issue following that landing, but in retrospect, I wonder if it contributed to my later experience? I was concerned that, possibly, the oleos were being 'over svced' fresh from the factory and wanted to make note of it in case other pilots experience ground handling issues with new C172's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT, FLYING A BRAND NEW ACFT, WX-VANED INTO THE WIND DURING LNDG ROLLOUT AT FDK.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL LNDG AND ROLLOUT, THE ACFT SWERVED SUDDENLY AND ROLLED INTO THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RWY. THE ACFT SUSTAINED A PROP STRIKE AND SCRAPE TO THE WINGTIP. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY ACTION ON MY PART AS PIC THAT CAUSED THE SWERVE INTO THE WIND (RPTED AS 240 DEGS AT 6 KTS ON RWY 30). I CAN SPECULATE THAT A BRAKE MAY HAVE GRABBED IF I WAS BEGINNING TO APPLY THEM, BUT I DO NOT KNOW. A CONCERN I HAD FOR OTHER PLTS FLYING THE TYPE (A NEW C172 WITH LESS THAN 20 HRS ON IT) WAS THE NOSE OLEO STRUT FEELING OVERLY STIFF AND POSSIBLY EXTENDED OR OVER SVCED. I HAD FLOWN SEVERAL OTHER C172'S IN THE RENTAL FLEET OVER THE PAST 2 YRS AND THIS ACFT FELT DIFFERENT FOLLOWING MY LNDG EARLIER IN THE DAY. I DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS A SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE FOLLOWING THAT LNDG, BUT IN RETROSPECT, I WONDER IF IT CONTRIBUTED TO MY LATER EXPERIENCE? I WAS CONCERNED THAT, POSSIBLY, THE OLEOS WERE BEING 'OVER SVCED' FRESH FROM THE FACTORY AND WANTED TO MAKE NOTE OF IT IN CASE OTHER PLTS EXPERIENCE GND HANDLING ISSUES WITH NEW C172'S.

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.