Narrative:

I was practicing touch-and-goes in the traffic pattern at north las vegas airport (vgt) when event occurred. The airspace was busy and the tower had two frequencies operating. I was cleared for the option on runway 12L; which runs parallel to runway 12R. After receiving clearance from the tower; I was advised about a small; two-seat helicopter practicing over taxiway papa which runs parallel and to the left of 12L. After my first landing and takeoff I felt a sudden; heavy wake-like patch of air hit my right wing causing my plane to bank moderately. In addition; I believe I heard a 'chopping' sound associated with the wind. This I assume to be turbulence coming from the helicopter. On my downwind I was asked to make a short final to the runway to accommodate a cessna two miles out for the same runway. After realizing I had too much altitude on final I chose to go-around. By the time I was on final again the cessna was clearing the runway. The helicopter was now heading towards me; at the opposite runway's heading (30). I had elected to do a 'short-field' landing; coming in slow and with 30-degrees flaps. Touching down I let the aircraft's nose settle before reaching to my right and retracting the flaps. As the flaps were retracting I put in full take off power but noticed a sudden change in the airplane's path of travel and believed my right brake to be locking up (the aircraft's nose was swinging to the right) I immediately pulled the throttle to idle and applied left rudder. At this time wind (possibly from the helicopter; as the reported winds were 6 knots) seemed to catch my right wing further swinging the plane to the left. At this point I did not want to apply right rudder as it would have likely skidded the main wheels and ground looped the plane. I elected to aim the plane towards the gravel area between 12L and taxiway papa. Using rudder; aileron; and differential braking I managed to bring the plane to a full stop at the intersection of taxiways papa and kilo. At this point I was contacted by the tower and received clearance to taxi back to the parking area and received a phone number to call and make a report with them. Too close; I believe factors in this incident were the practicing helicopter making small gusts over the runway; small but choppy winds (which another instructor later commented that his students were having difficulty with landing due to them); possible brake drag on the plane's right wheel; and my own overcorrection combined with a wind pocket lifting up on my right wing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 pilot reported a runway excursion resulted after he experienced directional control difficulties associated with possible wake turbulence from a helicopter and a dragging brake.

Narrative: I was practicing touch-and-goes in the traffic pattern at North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) when event occurred. The airspace was busy and the tower had two frequencies operating. I was cleared for the option on runway 12L; which runs parallel to runway 12R. After receiving clearance from the tower; I was advised about a small; two-seat helicopter practicing over taxiway Papa which runs parallel and to the left of 12L. After my first landing and takeoff I felt a sudden; heavy wake-like patch of air hit my right wing causing my plane to bank moderately. In addition; I believe I heard a 'chopping' sound associated with the wind. This I assume to be turbulence coming from the helicopter. On my downwind I was asked to make a short final to the runway to accommodate a Cessna two miles out for the same runway. After realizing I had too much altitude on final I chose to go-around. By the time I was on final again the Cessna was clearing the runway. The helicopter was now heading towards me; at the opposite runway's heading (30). I had elected to do a 'short-field' landing; coming in slow and with 30-degrees flaps. Touching down I let the aircraft's nose settle before reaching to my right and retracting the flaps. As the flaps were retracting I put in full take off power but noticed a sudden change in the airplane's path of travel and believed my right brake to be locking up (the aircraft's nose was swinging to the right) I immediately pulled the throttle to idle and applied left rudder. At this time wind (possibly from the helicopter; as the reported winds were 6 knots) seemed to catch my right wing further swinging the plane to the left. At this point I did not want to apply right rudder as it would have likely skidded the main wheels and ground looped the plane. I elected to aim the plane towards the gravel area between 12L and taxiway Papa. Using rudder; aileron; and differential braking I managed to bring the plane to a full stop at the intersection of taxiways Papa and Kilo. At this point I was contacted by the tower and received clearance to taxi back to the parking area and received a phone number to call and make a report with them. Too close; I believe factors in this incident were the practicing helicopter making small gusts over the runway; small but choppy winds (which another instructor later commented that his students were having difficulty with landing due to them); possible brake drag on the plane's right wheel; and my own overcorrection combined with a wind pocket lifting up on my right wing.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.