Narrative:

On jul/mon/92 I left elko about XX30 in my small tail- dragger to fly to wells. On arriving wells at approximately XY30 and contacting unicom for WX and runway advisories, winds at about 12 mph favored runway 26. The air was noted to be turbulent and gusty below about 400 ft on base. My first attempt at landing was unsuccessful -- the plane touched down, possibly tail low, and bounced. The plane felt difficult to control, in part no doubt due to the wind conditions and high density altitude. The landing did not appear to be improving so a go around was successfully attempted. Similar conditions were noted on the second attempt, along with a dust devil about 3 mi from the airport south of the highway. Despite the turbulence the plane seemed lined up pretty well on final for another 3 point attempt, but again bounced. There may have been a change to a crosswind or some windshear (some momentary direct xwinds were observed afterwards). At any rate the right wing came up and I was no longer able to maintain directional control. The plane veered to the left. A decision was made to execute a go around but this was unsuccessful. The plane left the runway at about a 45 degree angle and entered sagebrush where it came to rest. I exited the aircraft uninjured. No one on the ground was hurt, and there was no property damage or fire. In retrospect there are of course other options I wish I had the opportunity to try, but it was not a simulator. I'm glad no one was hurt and that it was a relatively cheap learning experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY EXCURSION DURING ATTEMPTED LNDG PROC XWIND LNDG.

Narrative: ON JUL/MON/92 I LEFT ELKO ABOUT XX30 IN MY SMALL TAIL- DRAGGER TO FLY TO WELLS. ON ARRIVING WELLS AT APPROX XY30 AND CONTACTING UNICOM FOR WX AND RWY ADVISORIES, WINDS AT ABOUT 12 MPH FAVORED RWY 26. THE AIR WAS NOTED TO BE TURBULENT AND GUSTY BELOW ABOUT 400 FT ON BASE. MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT LNDG WAS UNSUCCESSFUL -- THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN, POSSIBLY TAIL LOW, AND BOUNCED. THE PLANE FELT DIFFICULT TO CTL, IN PART NO DOUBT DUE TO THE WIND CONDITIONS AND HIGH DENSITY ALT. THE LNDG DID NOT APPEAR TO BE IMPROVING SO A GAR WAS SUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED. SIMILAR CONDITIONS WERE NOTED ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, ALONG WITH A DUST DEVIL ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE ARPT S OF THE HIGHWAY. DESPITE THE TURBULENCE THE PLANE SEEMED LINED UP PRETTY WELL ON FINAL FOR ANOTHER 3 POINT ATTEMPT, BUT AGAIN BOUNCED. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A CHANGE TO A XWIND OR SOME WINDSHEAR (SOME MOMENTARY DIRECT XWINDS WERE OBSERVED AFTERWARDS). AT ANY RATE THE R WING CAME UP AND I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL. THE PLANE VEERED TO THE L. A DECISION WAS MADE TO EXECUTE A GAR BUT THIS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLANE LEFT THE RWY AT ABOUT A 45 DEG ANGLE AND ENTERED SAGEBRUSH WHERE IT CAME TO REST. I EXITED THE ACFT UNINJURED. NO ONE ON THE GND WAS HURT, AND THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OR FIRE. IN RETROSPECT THERE ARE OF COURSE OTHER OPTIONS I WISH I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY, BUT IT WAS NOT A SIMULATOR. I'M GLAD NO ONE WAS HURT AND THAT IT WAS A RELATIVELY CHEAP LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

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.