A rockwell commander private pilot experiences braking problems and almost runs off the runway. At s...

Attributes
ACN	483031
Time
Date	200008
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smx.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aero Commander 112
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 444 flight time type : 276
ASRS Report	483031
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was landing at smx after a 2.3 hour personal flight. Touched down and applied brakes. Right brake grabbed sharply and very little left brake. Grabbed my attention and was headed toward leaving the runway. Applied left brake/rudder straightened out some. Decided to take taxiway A4 (45 degree taxiway from runway 30/12). Left runway for 3 lights (blue) but remained on pavement between runway and taxiway. Realign airplane with taxiway, was almost at a stop. Applied power to move forward and nose gear collapsed. No property damage and no injuries. One other passenger besides myself (copilot) neither myself nor the passenger had any recollection of moving the gear handle to the gear up position but 'gear up' was where the handle was found by my mechanic. Contributing factors, my habit to put up flaps during the ground roll after landing and my tendency to take a particular taxiway resulting in harder braking and the diversion caused by uneven braking. I believe I inadvertently put the gear handle to the gear up position in an attempt to repeat the flaps up behavior. Corrective action to prevent recurrence: commit myself to focus on the landing and abandon my practice of flaps up/cowl flaps open/electric pump off until after I have exited the runway. Stop attempting to take a particular taxiway and use better judgement on speed and use of brakes. I frequently fly with other pilots. Discuss with other pilots what I did and how we can use CRM to make our flight safer. Review any practices more regularly and fly with a flight instructor occasionally for a personal review of my flying habits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A ROCKWELL COMMANDER PVT PLT EXPERIENCES BRAKING PROBS AND ALMOST RUNS OFF THE RWY. AT START OF RESUMED TAXI THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSES AT SMX, CA.

Narrative: WAS LNDG AT SMX AFTER A 2.3 HR PERSONAL FLT. TOUCHED DOWN AND APPLIED BRAKES. R BRAKE GRABBED SHARPLY AND VERY LITTLE L BRAKE. GRABBED MY ATTN AND WAS HEADED TOWARD LEAVING THE RWY. APPLIED L BRAKE/RUDDER STRAIGHTENED OUT SOME. DECIDED TO TAKE TXWY A4 (45 DEG TXWY FROM RWY 30/12). LEFT RWY FOR 3 LIGHTS (BLUE) BUT REMAINED ON PAVEMENT BTWN RWY AND TXWY. REALIGN AIRPLANE WITH TXWY, WAS ALMOST AT A STOP. APPLIED PWR TO MOVE FORWARD AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. NO PROPERTY DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. ONE OTHER PAX BESIDES MYSELF (COPLT) NEITHER MYSELF NOR THE PAX HAD ANY RECOLLECTION OF MOVING THE GEAR HANDLE TO THE GEAR UP POS BUT 'GEAR UP' WAS WHERE THE HANDLE WAS FOUND BY MY MECH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, MY HABIT TO PUT UP FLAPS DURING THE GND ROLL AFTER LNDG AND MY TENDENCY TO TAKE A PARTICULAR TXWY RESULTING IN HARDER BRAKING AND THE DIVERSION CAUSED BY UNEVEN BRAKING. I BELIEVE I INADVERTENTLY PUT THE GEAR HANDLE TO THE GEAR UP POS IN AN ATTEMPT TO REPEAT THE FLAPS UP BEHAVIOR. CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: COMMIT MYSELF TO FOCUS ON THE LNDG AND ABANDON MY PRACTICE OF FLAPS UP/COWL FLAPS OPEN/ELECTRIC PUMP OFF UNTIL AFTER I HAVE EXITED THE RWY. STOP ATTEMPTING TO TAKE A PARTICULAR TXWY AND USE BETTER JUDGEMENT ON SPD AND USE OF BRAKES. I FREQUENTLY FLY WITH OTHER PLTS. DISCUSS WITH OTHER PLTS WHAT I DID AND HOW WE CAN USE CRM TO MAKE OUR FLT SAFER. REVIEW ANY PRACTICES MORE REGULARLY AND FLY WITH A FLT INSTRUCTOR OCCASIONALLY FOR A PERSONAL REVIEW OF MY FLYING HABITS.

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.

A rockwell commander private pilot experiences braking problems and almost runs off the runway. At start of resumed taxi the nose gear collapses at smx, ca.