Narrative:

During preflight of the C172, I noticed that the metal heel plate (about 8 inches by 9 inches) was bent up and prevented me from operating the rudder/nosewheel pedals properly. I bent the plate back down and departed to the practice area. Before returning I decided to do 1 touch- and-go at ttn. I received clearance and made a normal approach. As I touched down, the heel plate apparently caught my right shoe or trouser leg, which prevented me from operating the right pedal fully. I pushed forward with both feet to try and release my foot, but I managed to depress more left pedal than right pedal. As a result, the airplane gndlooped to the left sharply and exited the runway onto the grass. I then steered straight as best I could and allowed the grass to slow and stop the airplane. I was not injured, and there was no damage to the aircraft or to surrounding property. I removed the heel plate, then departed to 39N. I should have removed the heel plate during preflight or have insisted on renting another aircraft. I am not able to discount the possibility that I may have depressed the left brake pedal instead of only the rudder pedal, which would cause a gndloop as well. There is no doubt in my mind that I could have prevented this incident with a better preflight or perhaps more focus on operation of the pedals. One thing I did do correctly was to complete a prelndg checklist, which reminded me to secure my shoulder harness. This particular C172 has a 'snap-on' shoulder harness, which connects to the lap belt buckle. These shoulder harnesses often come loose during flight. As I bounced across the rough grass surface, my chest strained hard continually against the shoulder harness. The harness prevented my head from striking the dashboard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR'S HEEL CAUGHT ON A HEEL PLATE CAUSING THE ACFT TO LEAVE THE RWY.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT OF THE C172, I NOTICED THAT THE METAL HEEL PLATE (ABOUT 8 INCHES BY 9 INCHES) WAS BENT UP AND PREVENTED ME FROM OPERATING THE RUDDER/NOSEWHEEL PEDALS PROPERLY. I BENT THE PLATE BACK DOWN AND DEPARTED TO THE PRACTICE AREA. BEFORE RETURNING I DECIDED TO DO 1 TOUCH- AND-GO AT TTN. I RECEIVED CLRNC AND MADE A NORMAL APCH. AS I TOUCHED DOWN, THE HEEL PLATE APPARENTLY CAUGHT MY R SHOE OR TROUSER LEG, WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM OPERATING THE R PEDAL FULLY. I PUSHED FORWARD WITH BOTH FEET TO TRY AND RELEASE MY FOOT, BUT I MANAGED TO DEPRESS MORE L PEDAL THAN R PEDAL. AS A RESULT, THE AIRPLANE GNDLOOPED TO THE L SHARPLY AND EXITED THE RWY ONTO THE GRASS. I THEN STEERED STRAIGHT AS BEST I COULD AND ALLOWED THE GRASS TO SLOW AND STOP THE AIRPLANE. I WAS NOT INJURED, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR TO SURROUNDING PROPERTY. I REMOVED THE HEEL PLATE, THEN DEPARTED TO 39N. I SHOULD HAVE REMOVED THE HEEL PLATE DURING PREFLT OR HAVE INSISTED ON RENTING ANOTHER ACFT. I AM NOT ABLE TO DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY THAT I MAY HAVE DEPRESSED THE L BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD OF ONLY THE RUDDER PEDAL, WHICH WOULD CAUSE A GNDLOOP AS WELL. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT WITH A BETTER PREFLT OR PERHAPS MORE FOCUS ON OP OF THE PEDALS. ONE THING I DID DO CORRECTLY WAS TO COMPLETE A PRELNDG CHKLIST, WHICH REMINDED ME TO SECURE MY SHOULDER HARNESS. THIS PARTICULAR C172 HAS A 'SNAP-ON' SHOULDER HARNESS, WHICH CONNECTS TO THE LAP BELT BUCKLE. THESE SHOULDER HARNESSES OFTEN COME LOOSE DURING FLT. AS I BOUNCED ACROSS THE ROUGH GRASS SURFACE, MY CHEST STRAINED HARD CONTINUALLY AGAINST THE SHOULDER HARNESS. THE HARNESS PREVENTED MY HEAD FROM STRIKING THE DASHBOARD.

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.