GA small aircraft runway excursion resulting in damage to propeller.

Attributes
ACN	124575
Time
Date	198910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 4b9
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 5270
ASRS Report	124575
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This was an airport I had flown into 3 days before, and so I felt familiar with the airport and arsa. I knew the wind was strong, but the nearest airport (bradley) was reporting 15 KTS. On arrival at simsbury, winds were out of the west, so I elected to land 21. After a normal T/D about 200' down the 1900' runway, I began light braking. With about 1000' remaining, a strong gust hit the airplane, and with full rudder, aileron and differential braking, I couldn't maintain runway centerline. The tires were squealing continuously, so I didn't attempt to brake any harder. With about 100' remaining, I realized I would go off the end of the runway. Upon leaving the pavement, I shut down the engine. I left the runway at about 5 mph, went down an embankment and stopped the aircraft. Damage was limited to a bent propeller blade (about 1/4' in the outboard 4' of blade) and cosmetic damage. I later found out FSS was reporting gusts to 35 KTS, obviously beyond the aircraft's and my capability. I intent to learn the beaufort wind scale--a way to estimate winds visually, as well as consult FSS if the winds appear anywhere near 15 KTS--as well as considering diversion or not flying at all in this type of WX in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA RWY EXCURSION RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO PROPELLER.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN ARPT I HAD FLOWN INTO 3 DAYS BEFORE, AND SO I FELT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND ARSA. I KNEW THE WIND WAS STRONG, BUT THE NEAREST ARPT (BRADLEY) WAS RPTING 15 KTS. ON ARR AT SIMSBURY, WINDS WERE OUT OF THE W, SO I ELECTED TO LAND 21. AFTER A NORMAL T/D ABOUT 200' DOWN THE 1900' RWY, I BEGAN LIGHT BRAKING. WITH ABOUT 1000' REMAINING, A STRONG GUST HIT THE AIRPLANE, AND WITH FULL RUDDER, AILERON AND DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING, I COULDN'T MAINTAIN RWY CENTERLINE. THE TIRES WERE SQUEALING CONTINUOUSLY, SO I DIDN'T ATTEMPT TO BRAKE ANY HARDER. WITH ABOUT 100' REMAINING, I REALIZED I WOULD GO OFF THE END OF THE RWY. UPON LEAVING THE PAVEMENT, I SHUT DOWN THE ENG. I LEFT THE RWY AT ABOUT 5 MPH, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND STOPPED THE ACFT. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO A BENT PROP BLADE (ABOUT 1/4' IN THE OUTBOARD 4' OF BLADE) AND COSMETIC DAMAGE. I LATER FOUND OUT FSS WAS RPTING GUSTS TO 35 KTS, OBVIOUSLY BEYOND THE ACFT'S AND MY CAPABILITY. I INTENT TO LEARN THE BEAUFORT WIND SCALE--A WAY TO ESTIMATE WINDS VISUALLY, AS WELL AS CONSULT FSS IF THE WINDS APPEAR ANYWHERE NEAR 15 KTS--AS WELL AS CONSIDERING DIVERSION OR NOT FLYING AT ALL IN THIS TYPE OF WX IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.