Narrative:

Rented C172 for solo practice at an FBO other than my home airport. After takeoff runway 15, and coming out of crosswind turn to left, act was suddenly hard to control (yaw) and a large amount of rudder necessary to hold direction. Clear of traffic, I landed on an inactive runway 24. Preoccupied with the problem, I failed to notify ATC while in the air and also once on the ground not being sure of what to say over the radio about it. Got permission and taxied back to the FBO. After landing, I figured the trim handle base of column popped out of setting. Reported situation to the desk. The a&P mechanic reset handle and bent trim tab. Went back up with an instructor this time. Aircraft flew fine. At a later time I checked in with the tower on advice of my home airport instructor and spoke to ATC manager. All was ok with them. No other traffic at the time, etc. Human performance considerations, etc: a 2 hour check ride was required by the FBO before this aircraft was rented, however. Nosewheel strut noise, bottoming out, etc and when turned. Flap detent was worn out on actuating handle. This model was the third of the type and I was unfamiliar with the rudder trim control on this type C172 (no trim for rudder on the other 2 C172's I've flown). Obviously my perception of an 'imminent control failure' was wrong. Had I been more familiar with this particular aircraft and its rudder trim, I just would have reached down and reset it. Also, I forgot to notify ATC of problem. Having been trained in other emergencys such as engine out, fire, etc, I had not been trained in any way to be prepared for a possible 'control failure.' it took me by surprise! Being more aware when renting unfamiliar models of same aircraft would also have helped. Hope this report does.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 STUDENT PLT ON A SOLO FLT EXPERIENCES CTL PROBS WITH HIS RUDDER AND PERFORMS AN UNAUTH LNDG ON RWY 24, AN INACTIVE RWY AT HYA, MA.

Narrative: RENTED C172 FOR SOLO PRACTICE AT AN FBO OTHER THAN MY HOME ARPT. AFTER TKOF RWY 15, AND COMING OUT OF XWIND TURN TO L, ACT WAS SUDDENLY HARD TO CTL (YAW) AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF RUDDER NECESSARY TO HOLD DIRECTION. CLR OF TFC, I LANDED ON AN INACTIVE RWY 24. PREOCCUPIED WITH THE PROB, I FAILED TO NOTIFY ATC WHILE IN THE AIR AND ALSO ONCE ON THE GND NOT BEING SURE OF WHAT TO SAY OVER THE RADIO ABOUT IT. GOT PERMISSION AND TAXIED BACK TO THE FBO. AFTER LNDG, I FIGURED THE TRIM HANDLE BASE OF COLUMN POPPED OUT OF SETTING. RPTED SIT TO THE DESK. THE A&P MECH RESET HANDLE AND BENT TRIM TAB. WENT BACK UP WITH AN INSTRUCTOR THIS TIME. ACFT FLEW FINE. AT A LATER TIME I CHKED IN WITH THE TWR ON ADVICE OF MY HOME ARPT INSTRUCTOR AND SPOKE TO ATC MGR. ALL WAS OK WITH THEM. NO OTHER TFC AT THE TIME, ETC. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS, ETC: A 2 HR CHK RIDE WAS REQUIRED BY THE FBO BEFORE THIS ACFT WAS RENTED, HOWEVER. NOSEWHEEL STRUT NOISE, BOTTOMING OUT, ETC AND WHEN TURNED. FLAP DETENT WAS WORN OUT ON ACTUATING HANDLE. THIS MODEL WAS THE THIRD OF THE TYPE AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE RUDDER TRIM CTL ON THIS TYPE C172 (NO TRIM FOR RUDDER ON THE OTHER 2 C172'S I'VE FLOWN). OBVIOUSLY MY PERCEPTION OF AN 'IMMINENT CTL FAILURE' WAS WRONG. HAD I BEEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR ACFT AND ITS RUDDER TRIM, I JUST WOULD HAVE REACHED DOWN AND RESET IT. ALSO, I FORGOT TO NOTIFY ATC OF PROB. HAVING BEEN TRAINED IN OTHER EMERS SUCH AS ENG OUT, FIRE, ETC, I HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED IN ANY WAY TO BE PREPARED FOR A POSSIBLE 'CTL FAILURE.' IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE! BEING MORE AWARE WHEN RENTING UNFAMILIAR MODELS OF SAME ACFT WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED. HOPE THIS RPT DOES.

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.