A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related
Prior to takeoff; while looking for something I dropped; I shone a flashlight beyond the rudder pedals (First Officer side) and discovered a 3/4 full water bottle beyond the rudder pedals. Someone must have dropped a water bottle on the floor and it rolled past the rudder pedals toward the aircraft nose. I have no idea how long it had been there. (It was not my bottle.)This event causes me alarm. It is not the first time I have found objects beyond the rudder pedals; but most of the time they are small items; like pens; paper; etc. What might have happened had the water bottle begun rolling around; potentially lodging in the rudder pedals? It could be especially catastrophic on takeoff (or landing). And in the event of a catastrophic event; would crash investigators ever discover the cause? I suggest some barrier be mounted on the floorboard to prevent recurrence.
An A320 First Officer reported finding a partially full water bottle behind the rudder pedals. The bottle could have interfered with rudder movement and had apparently been in that location for a period of time.