Narrative:

We were on a mac cargo flight, with a routing of mcguire (kwri) - lajes (lpla) - mcguire. Departure WX briefing indicated that lajes would have winds from 010 degrees to 030 degrees at 23 KTS gusting to 34 KTS. We computed the worst case crosswind component (030 degrees at 34 KTS) and determined a component of 27 KTS (well within the airplane's 34 KTS maximum). Upon arrival lajes area, the winds were reported to be the same as forecasted, and we were vectored for a PAR approach to runway 33. We entered the cloud tops at 10000 ft while on the victor to downwind, and let down to 2000 ft on base leg. Due to the gusty nature of the winds, the final controller was almost constantly correcting our heading to maintain final approach centerline (with a min of 335 degrees and a maximum of 348 degrees). The final approach flaps and landing check were done by the final approach fix and approach commenced. We broke out of the clouds about 1000 ft, about 3 mi final and the winds seemed to stabilize as we held a 335 degree heading to maintain centerline. By 100 ft AGL, we transitioned from crab to crosswind landing confign (about 5 degrees right wing down) and started the flare about 50 ft. At this time (about 1000 ft from approach end) the right wing rose suddenly and unctlably (to about 20-25 degrees bank) and the airplane yawed left (about 10 degrees). Both pilots fought to regain control and managed to center the nose but the bank was slow recovering. Passing about 4000 ft down the runway the right wing dropped out from under us (apparently causing the #4 engine nacelle to drag the runway), and we fought the right wing up and landed. We determined (later) that the runway winds were 21-27 KTS, but the tower winds (on a hill top northeast of our touchdown area and 300 ft high) were either 44 or 50 KTS.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HVT FRT ACFT HIT ENG POD ON LNDG AT TER.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A MAC CARGO FLT, WITH A RTING OF MCGUIRE (KWRI) - LAJES (LPLA) - MCGUIRE. DEP WX BRIEFING INDICATED THAT LAJES WOULD HAVE WINDS FROM 010 DEGS TO 030 DEGS AT 23 KTS GUSTING TO 34 KTS. WE COMPUTED THE WORST CASE XWIND COMPONENT (030 DEGS AT 34 KTS) AND DETERMINED A COMPONENT OF 27 KTS (WELL WITHIN THE AIRPLANE'S 34 KTS MAX). UPON ARR LAJES AREA, THE WINDS WERE RPTED TO BE THE SAME AS FORECASTED, AND WE WERE VECTORED FOR A PAR APCH TO RWY 33. WE ENTERED THE CLOUD TOPS AT 10000 FT WHILE ON THE VICTOR TO DOWNWIND, AND LET DOWN TO 2000 FT ON BASE LEG. DUE TO THE GUSTY NATURE OF THE WINDS, THE FINAL CTLR WAS ALMOST CONSTANTLY CORRECTING OUR HDG TO MAINTAIN FINAL APCH CENTERLINE (WITH A MIN OF 335 DEGS AND A MAX OF 348 DEGS). THE FINAL APCH FLAPS AND LNDG CHK WERE DONE BY THE FINAL APCH FIX AND APCH COMMENCED. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS ABOUT 1000 FT, ABOUT 3 MI FINAL AND THE WINDS SEEMED TO STABILIZE AS WE HELD A 335 DEG HDG TO MAINTAIN CENTERLINE. BY 100 FT AGL, WE TRANSITIONED FROM CRAB TO XWIND LNDG CONFIGN (ABOUT 5 DEGS R WING DOWN) AND STARTED THE FLARE ABOUT 50 FT. AT THIS TIME (ABOUT 1000 FT FROM APCH END) THE R WING ROSE SUDDENLY AND UNCTLABLY (TO ABOUT 20-25 DEGS BANK) AND THE AIRPLANE YAWED L (ABOUT 10 DEGS). BOTH PLTS FOUGHT TO REGAIN CTL AND MANAGED TO CENTER THE NOSE BUT THE BANK WAS SLOW RECOVERING. PASSING ABOUT 4000 FT DOWN THE RWY THE R WING DROPPED OUT FROM UNDER US (APPARENTLY CAUSING THE #4 ENG NACELLE TO DRAG THE RWY), AND WE FOUGHT THE R WING UP AND LANDED. WE DETERMINED (LATER) THAT THE RWY WINDS WERE 21-27 KTS, BUT THE TWR WINDS (ON A HILL TOP NE OF OUR TOUCHDOWN AREA AND 300 FT HIGH) WERE EITHER 44 OR 50 KTS.

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.