An small aircraft pilot ground looped and went off the runway in a crosswind condition.

Attributes
ACN	224522
Time
Date	199210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : epg
State Reference	NE
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
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 904 flight time type : 14
ASRS Report	224522
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	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the morning of 10/thu/92, I flew an small aircraft from the 74 northeast to epg. It was an uneventful flight, up to the point of landing. The winds were approximately from 190 degree at 10 KTS, so I chose to do a wheel landing versus a 3 point landing on runway 17. The approach was stable, as was the touchdown. After the tail wheel touched down, I maintained directional control. I reached down and over to raise my flaps, which are manual on the airplane. In raising the flaps my vision was blanked out by the control panel. Directional control was lost (and partly because of the slight crosswind), because I noticed I was practically 90 degree to the right of my original course. My speed was unknown, but as I tried to regain control, the main gears had already dropped off the runway area and I found myself rolling downhill toward a washout on the west side of the runway area. I attempted to correct right slightly where there was more level ground; however the attempt was not successful. The plane came to rest on the middle of the washout.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT GND LOOPED AND WENT OFF THE RWY IN A XWIND CONDITION.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF 10/THU/92, I FLEW AN SMA FROM THE 74 NE TO EPG. IT WAS AN UNEVENTFUL FLT, UP TO THE POINT OF LNDG. THE WINDS WERE APPROX FROM 190 DEG AT 10 KTS, SO I CHOSE TO DO A WHEEL LNDG VERSUS A 3 POINT LNDG ON RWY 17. THE APCH WAS STABLE, AS WAS THE TOUCHDOWN. AFTER THE TAIL WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, I MAINTAINED DIRECTIONAL CTL. I REACHED DOWN AND OVER TO RAISE MY FLAPS, WHICH ARE MANUAL ON THE AIRPLANE. IN RAISING THE FLAPS MY VISION WAS BLANKED OUT BY THE CTL PANEL. DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS LOST (AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE SLIGHT XWIND), BECAUSE I NOTICED I WAS PRACTICALLY 90 DEG TO THE R OF MY ORIGINAL COURSE. MY SPD WAS UNKNOWN, BUT AS I TRIED TO REGAIN CTL, THE MAIN GEARS HAD ALREADY DROPPED OFF THE RWY AREA AND I FOUND MYSELF ROLLING DOWNHILL TOWARD A WASHOUT ON THE W SIDE OF THE RWY AREA. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT R SLIGHTLY WHERE THERE WAS MORE LEVEL GND; HOWEVER THE ATTEMPT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE PLANE CAME TO REST ON THE MIDDLE OF THE WASHOUT.

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.