Light GA aircraft collapsed nose wheel landing in gusty conditions at tul.

Attributes
ACN	160984
Time
Date	199010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tul
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 444 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	160984
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a x-country flight from alabama to our home airport 18 mi north of denver, co, having been flying more than 4 hours that day and having another 3 1/2 hours of flying remaining, I had planned to stop overnight in ponca city, rather than fly into the night. After learning by radio that high, gusty surface winds were reported throughout a widespread area, including ponca city, tulsa, wichita and elsewhere, I decided to land for the night in tulsa rather than ponca city. My reasoning was that I would have a better chance of getting a runway more suitable to the winds. There was still some crosswind, however. On final, the plane was sharply buffeted about by the winds; however, my approach was quite good. As I neared T/D and flared for landing, wind gusts caused the plane to lift up sharply and drop down a second or two later. As a result, at T/D the plane bounced on the runway a couple of times and on the third time collapsed the nose gear and skidded to a stop. Fortunately, I was able to hold the plane straight and keep it from being flipped over by the winds. Seat belts, shoulder belts and a low ground speed saved us from injury.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT GA ACFT COLLAPSED NOSE WHEEL LNDG IN GUSTY CONDITIONS AT TUL.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A X-COUNTRY FLT FROM ALABAMA TO OUR HOME ARPT 18 MI N OF DENVER, CO, HAVING BEEN FLYING MORE THAN 4 HRS THAT DAY AND HAVING ANOTHER 3 1/2 HRS OF FLYING REMAINING, I HAD PLANNED TO STOP OVERNIGHT IN PONCA CITY, RATHER THAN FLY INTO THE NIGHT. AFTER LEARNING BY RADIO THAT HIGH, GUSTY SURFACE WINDS WERE RPTED THROUGHOUT A WIDESPREAD AREA, INCLUDING PONCA CITY, TULSA, WICHITA AND ELSEWHERE, I DECIDED TO LAND FOR THE NIGHT IN TULSA RATHER THAN PONCA CITY. MY REASONING WAS THAT I WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING A RWY MORE SUITABLE TO THE WINDS. THERE WAS STILL SOME XWIND, HOWEVER. ON FINAL, THE PLANE WAS SHARPLY BUFFETED ABOUT BY THE WINDS; HOWEVER, MY APCH WAS QUITE GOOD. AS I NEARED T/D AND FLARED FOR LNDG, WIND GUSTS CAUSED THE PLANE TO LIFT UP SHARPLY AND DROP DOWN A SECOND OR TWO LATER. AS A RESULT, AT T/D THE PLANE BOUNCED ON THE RWY A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ON THE THIRD TIME COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE PLANE STRAIGHT AND KEEP IT FROM BEING FLIPPED OVER BY THE WINDS. SEAT BELTS, SHOULDER BELTS AND A LOW GND SPD SAVED US FROM INJURY.

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