STUDENT PLT OF PA44 GETS HIS L FOOT STUCK BTWN THE RUDDER PEDAL AND A STRUCTURAL SUPPORT DURING BRAKING AFTER LNDG. UNABLE TO EXTRICATE FOOT; THE RESULTING MAX BRAKE APPLICATION RESULTS IN A BLOWN TIRE. PROMPT ACTIVATION OF OPPOSING BRAKE APPLICATION AND FULL OPPOSITE RUDDER BY THE INSTRUCTOR PLT PREVENT A RWY EXCURSION.

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I WAS GIVING MY STUDENT DUAL IN A PA44-180 PRACTICING SHORT FIELD LNDGS AT 163. I WARNED HIM ABOUT BRAKING PROCS AND THAT THERE IS A BAR NEXT TO THE RUDDER PEDAL THAT SOME PEOPLE GET THEIR FEET STUCK ON. THE APCH WAS NORMAL AND LNDG JUST AFTER THE FIRST VASI FOR RWY 19 AT 1G3. THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND BRAKES BEGAN TO BE APPLIED BY THE STUDENT. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE L MAIN HAD LOCKED UP AND I WAS TELLING THE STUDENT; 'LET OFF THE BRAKES; LET OFF THE BRAKES!' HE REPLIED HIS FOOT HAD GOTTEN STUCK BTWN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE SIDE BAR. I IMMEDIATELY VERIFIED THROTTLES IDLE AND APPLIED FULL R RUDDER AND BRAKE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL. THE ACFT WENT L OF CTRLINE BUT REMAINED ON PAVEMENT. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP; WE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM WHERE IT WAS STUCK AND I TOOK THE TAXI. ONCE THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO ROLL; THE L MAIN WAS NOTICED TO BE FLAT. WE STOPPED AND SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND MAINT CAME OUT AND REPLACED TIRE. THE PLANE WAS PULLED UP TO MAINT FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. BOTH PLTS WERE WELL RESTED AND IN GOOD HEALTH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE INSTRUCTOR PLT ADVISED THAT THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER INVOLVED IS A VERT BAR; PARALLEL; ABOUT 1/2 INCH REMOVED AND ADJACENT TO THE INSIDE OF THE L RUDDER/BRAKE PEDAL. A SIMILAR STRUCTURAL BAR IS ADJACENT TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE R PEDAL. THESE BARS ARE PART OF THE SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL SYS. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED STUDENTS INADVERTENTLY APPLYING FOOT PRESSURE TO THE BAR VICE THE PEDAL ITSELF AND HAS MADE INSTRUCTION ON THAT POSSIBILITY A PART OF HIS STUDENT FAMILIARIZATION WITH THE ACFT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PARTICULAR ANOMALY. HE FEELS THERE IS LITTLE THAT COULD BE DONE SHORT OF PLT AWARENESS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.