Reporter lost control of an small aircraft during landing in gusty crosswind and swerved off runway.

Attributes
ACN	256838
Time
Date	199311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 1b9
State Reference	MA
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, Low 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 : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 105
ASRS Report	256838
Events
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:

I was attempting a landing on runway 32. Winds were gusting from west at 15g20 (approximately). At or near touchdown a gust pushed me to the right. I overcorrected, and swerved to the left, ran off the runway, hitting VASI lights in the process. No injuries, no structural damage, but a bruised ego and an insurance claim. I think that the underlying cause was my relative inexperience in this plane in a gusty crosswind. I had only 100 hours in type and most of that had been from/to airports with multiple runways. Though I had some dual cross country training, none had been in winds this strong. Overconfidence clearly played a part as well. I'd suggest that anyone transitioning to a new type (particularly bigger and heavier) make sure to find a real crosswind situation with a good instructor to practice!!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR LOST CTL OF AN SMA DURING LNDG IN GUSTY XWIND AND SWERVED OFF RWY.

Narrative: I WAS ATTEMPTING A LNDG ON RWY 32. WINDS WERE GUSTING FROM W AT 15G20 (APPROX). AT OR NEAR TOUCHDOWN A GUST PUSHED ME TO THE R. I OVERCORRECTED, AND SWERVED TO THE L, RAN OFF THE RWY, HITTING VASI LIGHTS IN THE PROCESS. NO INJURIES, NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, BUT A BRUISED EGO AND AN INSURANCE CLAIM. I THINK THAT THE UNDERLYING CAUSE WAS MY RELATIVE INEXPERIENCE IN THIS PLANE IN A GUSTY XWIND. I HAD ONLY 100 HRS IN TYPE AND MOST OF THAT HAD BEEN FROM/TO ARPTS WITH MULTIPLE RWYS. THOUGH I HAD SOME DUAL XCOUNTRY TRAINING, NONE HAD BEEN IN WINDS THIS STRONG. OVERCONFIDENCE CLRLY PLAYED A PART AS WELL. I'D SUGGEST THAT ANYONE TRANSITIONING TO A NEW TYPE (PARTICULARLY BIGGER AND HEAVIER) MAKE SURE TO FIND A REAL XWIND SIT WITH A GOOD INSTRUCTOR TO PRACTICE!!

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.