Narrative:

I am a student pilot with approximately 52 hours of flight training. I have completed several solo flts including 2 xcountries. I had gone for training flight in the local area to practice standard maneuvers and to do touch and goes. Due to WX it had been several weeks since I had done any significant landing/takeoff training. I did my first landing/takeoff. It was ok but I felt the approach was sloppy. I went around and made another approach which was much better. I floated further down the runway than I would prefer but it did not seem to be a problem. After touching down; I retracted the flaps and pushed in the throttle and carburetor heat. My recollection is not perfect here but I believe the plane veered left and I did not anticipate or correct appropriately. The plane exited runway 34 to the left (west side) into soft wet grass. I estimate it was doing 20-30 KTS as it left. It did not get airborne. After losing directional control; I didn't want to over control and risk tipping the plane so I let it go into the grass. Before the plane came to rest; it went in between 2 VASI light boxes; clipping one of them. The plane came to a rest approximately 20-30 ft past the VASI boxes. One of the VASI boxes was knocked over but did not seem to sustain much damage. The plane sustained minor damage to the fairing on the left main landing gear and the left wheel fairing. What could have prevented this incident: better anticipation of left torque when powering up. Since it had been some time since I had done a number of takeoffs/lndgs; I should have requested dual-time with my instructor prior to doing a lot of touch and goes. A more precise landing with less floating would have made the power-up less rushed. Deciding not to go around after an imperfect landing.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE ATTEMPTING TOUCH-AND-GO. ACFT DEPARTED RWY.

Narrative: I AM A STUDENT PLT WITH APPROX 52 HRS OF FLT TRAINING. I HAVE COMPLETED SEVERAL SOLO FLTS INCLUDING 2 XCOUNTRIES. I HAD GONE FOR TRAINING FLT IN THE LCL AREA TO PRACTICE STANDARD MANEUVERS AND TO DO TOUCH AND GOES. DUE TO WX IT HAD BEEN SEVERAL WKS SINCE I HAD DONE ANY SIGNIFICANT LNDG/TKOF TRAINING. I DID MY FIRST LNDG/TKOF. IT WAS OK BUT I FELT THE APCH WAS SLOPPY. I WENT AROUND AND MADE ANOTHER APCH WHICH WAS MUCH BETTER. I FLOATED FURTHER DOWN THE RWY THAN I WOULD PREFER BUT IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE A PROB. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN; I RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND PUSHED IN THE THROTTLE AND CARB HEAT. MY RECOLLECTION IS NOT PERFECT HERE BUT I BELIEVE THE PLANE VEERED L AND I DID NOT ANTICIPATE OR CORRECT APPROPRIATELY. THE PLANE EXITED RWY 34 TO THE L (W SIDE) INTO SOFT WET GRASS. I ESTIMATE IT WAS DOING 20-30 KTS AS IT LEFT. IT DID NOT GET AIRBORNE. AFTER LOSING DIRECTIONAL CTL; I DIDN'T WANT TO OVER CTL AND RISK TIPPING THE PLANE SO I LET IT GO INTO THE GRASS. BEFORE THE PLANE CAME TO REST; IT WENT IN BTWN 2 VASI LIGHT BOXES; CLIPPING ONE OF THEM. THE PLANE CAME TO A REST APPROX 20-30 FT PAST THE VASI BOXES. ONE OF THE VASI BOXES WAS KNOCKED OVER BUT DID NOT SEEM TO SUSTAIN MUCH DAMAGE. THE PLANE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FAIRING ON THE L MAIN LNDG GEAR AND THE L WHEEL FAIRING. WHAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT: BETTER ANTICIPATION OF L TORQUE WHEN POWERING UP. SINCE IT HAD BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I HAD DONE A NUMBER OF TKOFS/LNDGS; I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED DUAL-TIME WITH MY INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO DOING A LOT OF TOUCH AND GOES. A MORE PRECISE LNDG WITH LESS FLOATING WOULD HAVE MADE THE PWR-UP LESS RUSHED. DECIDING NOT TO GO AROUND AFTER AN IMPERFECT LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.