Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 25000; Flight Crew Type 65
Human-Machine Interface
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
After landing at a fast walk got blown to left and with full right rudder was unable to hold aircraft on Runway XXL. Wind was 340 at 4 to 6 knots. I chose not to force a ground loop to stay on the runway and took aircraft off the runway onto the grass. Aircraft slowed and I was able to get on the Heel brakes stop it and return to runway. If the aircraft had been equipped with Toe brakes instead of Heel brakes this occurrence would not have happened. I have over 2000 hours in tailwheel aircraft.
The pilot of a tailwheel aircraft equipped with heel brakes was unable to prevent a runway excursion. The sudden wind and the brake system design were contributing factors.