An antique stinson 108-2 veered off the side of a runway.

Attributes
ACN	271508
Time
Date	199405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : arr
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Piper Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 59
ASRS Report	271508
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After having successfully completed several practice lndgs in the aircraft, a stinson 108-2, I had a temporary loss of control. I was doing a 'wheel' landing. After touching the wheels down at 80 mph, I bled off speed and lowered the tail. All was normal. But when the tail wheel contacted the runway, the aircraft veered suddenly to the left. I applied full up elevator and maximum pressure on the right brake pedal. But the aircraft exited the runway onto the grass nearby where it rapidly slowed to a halt. I narrowly missed a runway light. After discussion with the tower, I shut down the engine and got out and examined the aircraft. There was no damage to it or to any airport property that I could see. There was no injury to anyone. I restarted the engine and, at the tower's request, taxied over to the ramp and discussed the matter with the controller. At first he said I had wiped out a runway light, but after checking with a grounds keeper, who inspected it, he agreed that this was not the case, and that the light in question had suffered little, if any, damage. I then flew the aircraft back to its home airport. I landed on a grass strip without using brakes or tail-wheel steering. I believe the incident was caused by a faulty tail-wheel steering mechanism, coupled with an ineffective wheel brake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ANTIQUE STINSON 108-2 VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF A RWY.

Narrative: AFTER HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED SEVERAL PRACTICE LNDGS IN THE ACFT, A STINSON 108-2, I HAD A TEMPORARY LOSS OF CTL. I WAS DOING A 'WHEEL' LNDG. AFTER TOUCHING THE WHEELS DOWN AT 80 MPH, I BLED OFF SPD AND LOWERED THE TAIL. ALL WAS NORMAL. BUT WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL CONTACTED THE RWY, THE ACFT VEERED SUDDENLY TO THE L. I APPLIED FULL UP ELEVATOR AND MAX PRESSURE ON THE R BRAKE PEDAL. BUT THE ACFT EXITED THE RWY ONTO THE GRASS NEARBY WHERE IT RAPIDLY SLOWED TO A HALT. I NARROWLY MISSED A RWY LIGHT. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE TWR, I SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND GOT OUT AND EXAMINED THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO IT OR TO ANY ARPT PROPERTY THAT I COULD SEE. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ANYONE. I RESTARTED THE ENG AND, AT THE TWR'S REQUEST, TAXIED OVER TO THE RAMP AND DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH THE CTLR. AT FIRST HE SAID I HAD WIPED OUT A RWY LIGHT, BUT AFTER CHKING WITH A GNDS KEEPER, WHO INSPECTED IT, HE AGREED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, AND THAT THE LIGHT IN QUESTION HAD SUFFERED LITTLE, IF ANY, DAMAGE. I THEN FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO ITS HOME ARPT. I LANDED ON A GRASS STRIP WITHOUT USING BRAKES OR TAIL-WHEEL STEERING. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY TAIL-WHEEL STEERING MECHANISM, COUPLED WITH AN INEFFECTIVE WHEEL BRAKE.

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.