PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 9.1; Flight Crew Total 79.2; Flight Crew Type 23.7
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Human Factors
After landing; the typical chirp-chirp noise was not present from the two main gear; instead being chirp (from right wheel touching first (as expected) followed by a flop-flop from the left gear. My initial thought was that the left tire was flat; seemingly confirmed by the aircraft's turn to left. My thought was to exercise even greater care in steering control inputs if the tire was flat; so carefully input right rudder. While I quickly realized that the tire was rolling fine and the leftward turn must be due to another cause; some amount of runway width had been consumed. I increased right rudder input; but also needed to be careful not to turn the aircraft too sharply cause a bigger problem. Digging a wing into the ground would not have been an improvement. There were no persons on the ground to protect nor were their substantial structures or trees. Unfortunately; the runway width consumed prior to realizing the tire was fine was enough loss that I could not confidently turn the aircraft to the right fast enough to avoid leaving the runway to the left and damaging three lights on the side of the runway.I now realize that the removal of a left rudder input (part of a necessary late right-wing-low crosswind correction) has not completed prior to the nose wheel touching. Therefore the Archer's nose wheel steering linkage engaged and turned the nose gear left. Once it became clear that I was going to touch at least some grass; I was able to make two good decisions. First; I held the yoke full back; consistent with soft field technique. I am sure this reduced some steering authority in the last few feet of runway width. But a collapsed nose gear would have aggravated the problem. Second; I was able to steer enough that I could attempt to avoid any prop-first collision with a runway side light. I appear to have been successful. No prop damage was found. Also; no landing gear damage was found.The collision with runway side lights put two dents in the right flap and a dent in the wing leading edge near the root.I was considering a few additional factors that might be relevant because these can indicate technique changes that would prevent a repeat and might have other safety benefits.1. As a recent member; I have not flown this specific aircraft very much. It it the only aircraft I have flown that has wheel pants. This increases the mechanical components that can make noise during landing and can change the noise that I hear.2. Within make and model; there is variation among aircraft in the arm strength that needs to be applied to raise the nose in landing. I can be more ready for this.3. I can change my landing technique to be more nose high and nose high for longer after touchdown. A new normal to an increased nose high attitude will help clue my brain sooner to increase backward yoke force. Keeping the nose higher will give me just a bit more time to trigger and complete the removal of rudder inputs. 4. It seems unwise to take an aircraft and do fast ground cornering exercises to discern just how hard I can turn it to the right and left. It is hard to imagine making this part of pilot training. Though; I suppose CFIs could demonstrate not just slow turns but also some turns faster than one would normally want to do but still do not topple the aircraft. But from this experience; I now know that some additional amount of right steering input could have been applied. I don't want to find the limit. But I don't mind now knowing that more would have been possible. This was very frustrating to me; not knowing how sharply I can turn an aircraft once rolling on the ground.5. I do not know for sure what it sounds like when landing on a flat tire. I can try to find a recording on the internet; I can ask other pilots. But I know this particular sound is not it.At no time in the event did I feel that there was any bodily danger to anyone. And even though I was (and am) emotionally upset by it; it provides some confirmation that I can respond coolly in an event with increased and abnormal stress.
PA-28- pilot reported steering issues after landing which then lead to a runway excursion.