Narrative:

I departed lakewood airport, nj, using runway 6 intending to remain in the pattern to gain additional experience (takeoff and landing) in (flying club X) aeronca champ. I have about 600 hours in conventional gear aircraft but wanted to practice in a moderate crosswind (about 8-10 mph from left, variable from almost head-on to practically at tail). On first landing attempt I used slight power-on approach and descent and allowed for a crab into wind. Prior to flare, carburetor was kicked out, flare was normal (stick into wind, directional control maintained with rudder), touchdown (3 point) was acceptable and rollout began. Seconds later, aircraft veered violently to left causing me to hit right rudder and brake and put stick to left as far as possible. Aircraft continued off runway (to left) striking right wingtip and nosing into soft sand at edge of runway. Damage was considered substantial including buckled right wing, propeller strike and possible cowl and frame. No damage to property. Slight bruises to pilot (me). Note: ground observers advised, 'wind went almost 180 degrees (toward tail) at touchdown.' in fact, airport reopened mins later with 'active' changed to runway 24. Also, just months earlier, another pilot had experienced a similar incident in this same aircraft. Other club member pilots had also stated aircraft seemed to 'behave badly' on landing and rollout. Since directional control was not maintained I must accept responsibility for this incident. However, I believe a fluky wind condition and possible mechanical situation with the aircraft may have contributed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AERONCA CHAMP PLT PRACTICING XWIND LNDGS HAS RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED LAKEWOOD ARPT, NJ, USING RWY 6 INTENDING TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN TO GAIN ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE (TKOF AND LNDG) IN (FLYING CLUB X) AERONCA CHAMP. I HAVE ABOUT 600 HRS IN CONVENTIONAL GEAR ACFT BUT WANTED TO PRACTICE IN A MODERATE XWIND (ABOUT 8-10 MPH FROM L, VARIABLE FROM ALMOST HEAD-ON TO PRACTICALLY AT TAIL). ON FIRST LNDG ATTEMPT I USED SLIGHT PWR-ON APCH AND DSCNT AND ALLOWED FOR A CRAB INTO WIND. PRIOR TO FLARE, CARB WAS KICKED OUT, FLARE WAS NORMAL (STICK INTO WIND, DIRECTIONAL CTL MAINTAINED WITH RUDDER), TOUCHDOWN (3 POINT) WAS ACCEPTABLE AND ROLLOUT BEGAN. SECONDS LATER, ACFT VEERED VIOLENTLY TO L CAUSING ME TO HIT R RUDDER AND BRAKE AND PUT STICK TO L AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. ACFT CONTINUED OFF RWY (TO L) STRIKING R WINGTIP AND NOSING INTO SOFT SAND AT EDGE OF RWY. DAMAGE WAS CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL INCLUDING BUCKLED R WING, PROP STRIKE AND POSSIBLE COWL AND FRAME. NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. SLIGHT BRUISES TO PLT (ME). NOTE: GND OBSERVERS ADVISED, 'WIND WENT ALMOST 180 DEGS (TOWARD TAIL) AT TOUCHDOWN.' IN FACT, ARPT REOPENED MINS LATER WITH 'ACTIVE' CHANGED TO RWY 24. ALSO, JUST MONTHS EARLIER, ANOTHER PLT HAD EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN THIS SAME ACFT. OTHER CLUB MEMBER PLTS HAD ALSO STATED ACFT SEEMED TO 'BEHAVE BADLY' ON LNDG AND ROLLOUT. SINCE DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS NOT MAINTAINED I MUST ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS INCIDENT. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE A FLUKY WIND CONDITION AND POSSIBLE MECHANICAL SIT WITH THE ACFT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED.

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.