MD80 on rollout following autoland gets hard left rudder command from autoplt. Captain is able to re...

Attributes
ACN	632395
Time
Date	200409
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	632395
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overrode automation
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

This aircraft was in need of an autoland confidence check. We performed such in ewr runway 22R, light wind, clear. All phases were normal. There was one departure fairly close to our landing. As the aircraft flared, I suppose we were affected somewhat by the departing aircraft's jet wash. We floated a bit, but the autoplt adjusted and landed the aircraft. We touched down a bit left off centerline and drifting slightly left. The nose lowered to the runway and at first it appeared that we might rollout successfully (however, left of center). Just then, the autoplt commanded left rudder and we were headed toward the left edge of the runway. Instinctively, I tried right rudder. Of course, I was met with the resistance of the autoplt. I then immediately disconnected the autoplt and aggressively straightened the aircraft out. We were on the left side of the runway but we remained on the pavement. We completed the rollout manually and normally. At the gate, the flight attendants inquired about our maneuver. To my knowledge, no passenger had any comment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 ON ROLLOUT FOLLOWING AUTOLAND GETS HARD L RUDDER COMMAND FROM AUTOPLT. CAPT IS ABLE TO REGAIN CTL BEFORE THE ACFT EXITED THE PAVED SURFACE.

Narrative: THIS ACFT WAS IN NEED OF AN AUTOLAND CONFIDENCE CHK. WE PERFORMED SUCH IN EWR RWY 22R, LIGHT WIND, CLR. ALL PHASES WERE NORMAL. THERE WAS ONE DEP FAIRLY CLOSE TO OUR LNDG. AS THE ACFT FLARED, I SUPPOSE WE WERE AFFECTED SOMEWHAT BY THE DEPARTING ACFT'S JET WASH. WE FLOATED A BIT, BUT THE AUTOPLT ADJUSTED AND LANDED THE ACFT. WE TOUCHED DOWN A BIT L OFF CTRLINE AND DRIFTING SLIGHTLY L. THE NOSE LOWERED TO THE RWY AND AT FIRST IT APPEARED THAT WE MIGHT ROLLOUT SUCCESSFULLY (HOWEVER, L OF CTR). JUST THEN, THE AUTOPLT COMMANDED L RUDDER AND WE WERE HEADED TOWARD THE L EDGE OF THE RWY. INSTINCTIVELY, I TRIED R RUDDER. OF COURSE, I WAS MET WITH THE RESISTANCE OF THE AUTOPLT. I THEN IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND AGGRESSIVELY STRAIGHTENED THE ACFT OUT. WE WERE ON THE L SIDE OF THE RWY BUT WE REMAINED ON THE PAVEMENT. WE COMPLETED THE ROLLOUT MANUALLY AND NORMALLY. AT THE GATE, THE FLT ATTENDANTS INQUIRED ABOUT OUR MANEUVER. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO PAX HAD ANY COMMENT.

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.

MD80 on rollout following autoland gets hard left rudder command from autoplt. Captain is able to regain control before the aircraft exited the paved surface.