Narrative:

Took aircraft from flying club. Found prior pilot on same day had reported poor braking action. On taxi, noted that extreme play (3-5') was present in rudder pedals. At runup, pedal deflected rudder in seemingly appropriate manner. Made 2 touch and go lndgs, with strong winds. On third approach, winds were asked for and reported as 250/16, while operating on runway 32. I made crab/wing low approach and touched down on upwind wheel, rolling out. Suddenly, tail swerved to right and with full left rudder pedal, aircraft still would not remain on runway. Braking ineffective, and aircraft departed runway onto taxiway. Aircraft exited taxiway to grass, as I elected to keep upright and ride it out. Brakes not usable until slow. Aircraft not damaged, leaving pavement at about 10-15 mph. After much thought, I have determined that 3 factors were present. First, strong x-winds and shear on final. Second, insufficient rudder to maintain directional control due to improper rigging. Minimally effective brakes led to difficult speed control. A related factor, extend unknown, were numerous lenticular clouds, all quadrants, 1500-2500' AGL. After my incident, tower advised all aircraft of standing lenticulars. I do not know, but suspect that wave activity from these indicators may have produced additional adverse wind conditions aggravating already marginal aircraft. Resolution: never fly aircraft if in doubt as to full mechanical capability. Also, exercise restraint on days with significant adverse winds.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF TRAINING FLT LOSES CTL ON LNDG. RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: TOOK ACFT FROM FLYING CLUB. FOUND PRIOR PLT ON SAME DAY HAD RPTED POOR BRAKING ACTION. ON TAXI, NOTED THAT EXTREME PLAY (3-5') WAS PRESENT IN RUDDER PEDALS. AT RUNUP, PEDAL DEFLECTED RUDDER IN SEEMINGLY APPROPRIATE MANNER. MADE 2 TOUCH AND GO LNDGS, WITH STRONG WINDS. ON THIRD APCH, WINDS WERE ASKED FOR AND RPTED AS 250/16, WHILE OPERATING ON RWY 32. I MADE CRAB/WING LOW APCH AND TOUCHED DOWN ON UPWIND WHEEL, ROLLING OUT. SUDDENLY, TAIL SWERVED TO RIGHT AND WITH FULL LEFT RUDDER PEDAL, ACFT STILL WOULD NOT REMAIN ON RWY. BRAKING INEFFECTIVE, AND ACFT DEPARTED RWY ONTO TXWY. ACFT EXITED TXWY TO GRASS, AS I ELECTED TO KEEP UPRIGHT AND RIDE IT OUT. BRAKES NOT USABLE UNTIL SLOW. ACFT NOT DAMAGED, LEAVING PAVEMENT AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH. AFTER MUCH THOUGHT, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT 3 FACTORS WERE PRESENT. FIRST, STRONG X-WINDS AND SHEAR ON FINAL. SECOND, INSUFFICIENT RUDDER TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL DUE TO IMPROPER RIGGING. MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE BRAKES LED TO DIFFICULT SPD CTL. A RELATED FACTOR, EXTEND UNKNOWN, WERE NUMEROUS LENTICULAR CLOUDS, ALL QUADRANTS, 1500-2500' AGL. AFTER MY INCIDENT, TWR ADVISED ALL ACFT OF STANDING LENTICULARS. I DO NOT KNOW, BUT SUSPECT THAT WAVE ACTIVITY FROM THESE INDICATORS MAY HAVE PRODUCED ADDITIONAL ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS AGGRAVATING ALREADY MARGINAL ACFT. RESOLUTION: NEVER FLY ACFT IF IN DOUBT AS TO FULL MECHANICAL CAPABILITY. ALSO, EXERCISE RESTRAINT ON DAYS WITH SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE WINDS.

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.