Loss of directional control on landing due to gust of crosswind beyond aircraft capability.

Attributes
ACN	304572
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hya
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	PA-34-200T Turbo Seneca II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 608 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	304572
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On may/xx/95 at approximately XA08 pm, I was landing a seneca ii at hya after flying from gmu, sc. Conditions were VFR in daylight. While in landing flair on runway 33, an estimated 30 plus KT crosswind pushed from right to left. (Aircraft had crosswind maximum of 17 KTS.) I corrected to full control movement (aileron into the wind and apply opposite rudder). Crosswind was greater than airplane could handle. Wxvaned into wind and set down on left side of runway 33 on a heading of 360 degrees. Aircraft crossed 150 ft wide and struck runway light on right side of runway 33. Finished landing rollout in grass area adjacent to right of runway 33. Propeller was cut on leading edge of 1 blade, underside of wing on left side was cut approximately 10 inches. Fuel tank was ruptured. Within 10 mins, tower changed active to runway 6. To prevent a recurrence, hya tower called winds at 15 KTS at 330 degrees. No mention of gusts. Wind was constant 20 plus KTS with constant gust of 30 plus KTS, with wind shifting from 330 degrees to 060 degrees. Need more accurate information from tower. I don't believe accident could have been prevented as the 30 plus KT crosswind struck during weak part of landing, during flair with no power on and full flaps. I believe I did the best under the circumstances and am grateful I walked away with no injury to myself or my passenger. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the FAA investigated the incident and requried the pilot to take a check flight with an FAA inspector. Check ride included single engine, crosswind lndgs. Pilot's license was reinstalled. WX during the mishap was moderate turbulence between 8000 ft and 12000 ft with shifting, gusty winds. Though the tower reported steady wind down the runway, the reporter saw wind sock varying greatly, both in direction and speed. Since the unexpected crosswind was beyond the capability of the aircraft, the FAA inspector said there was no much the pilot could do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CTL ON LNDG DUE TO GUST OF XWIND BEYOND ACFT CAPABILITY.

Narrative: ON MAY/XX/95 AT APPROX XA08 PM, I WAS LNDG A SENECA II AT HYA AFTER FLYING FROM GMU, SC. CONDITIONS WERE VFR IN DAYLIGHT. WHILE IN LNDG FLAIR ON RWY 33, AN ESTIMATED 30 PLUS KT XWIND PUSHED FROM R TO L. (ACFT HAD XWIND MAX OF 17 KTS.) I CORRECTED TO FULL CTL MOVEMENT (AILERON INTO THE WIND AND APPLY OPPOSITE RUDDER). XWIND WAS GREATER THAN AIRPLANE COULD HANDLE. WXVANED INTO WIND AND SET DOWN ON L SIDE OF RWY 33 ON A HDG OF 360 DEGS. ACFT CROSSED 150 FT WIDE AND STRUCK RWY LIGHT ON R SIDE OF RWY 33. FINISHED LNDG ROLLOUT IN GRASS AREA ADJACENT TO R OF RWY 33. PROP WAS CUT ON LEADING EDGE OF 1 BLADE, UNDERSIDE OF WING ON L SIDE WAS CUT APPROX 10 INCHES. FUEL TANK WAS RUPTURED. WITHIN 10 MINS, TWR CHANGED ACTIVE TO RWY 6. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, HYA TWR CALLED WINDS AT 15 KTS AT 330 DEGS. NO MENTION OF GUSTS. WIND WAS CONSTANT 20 PLUS KTS WITH CONSTANT GUST OF 30 PLUS KTS, WITH WIND SHIFTING FROM 330 DEGS TO 060 DEGS. NEED MORE ACCURATE INFO FROM TWR. I DON'T BELIEVE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AS THE 30 PLUS KT XWIND STRUCK DURING WEAK PART OF LNDG, DURING FLAIR WITH NO PWR ON AND FULL FLAPS. I BELIEVE I DID THE BEST UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AM GRATEFUL I WALKED AWAY WITH NO INJURY TO MYSELF OR MY PAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FAA INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT AND REQURIED THE PLT TO TAKE A CHK FLT WITH AN FAA INSPECTOR. CHK RIDE INCLUDED SINGLE ENG, XWIND LNDGS. PLT'S LICENSE WAS REINSTALLED. WX DURING THE MISHAP WAS MODERATE TURB BTWN 8000 FT AND 12000 FT WITH SHIFTING, GUSTY WINDS. THOUGH THE TWR RPTED STEADY WIND DOWN THE RWY, THE RPTR SAW WIND SOCK VARYING GREATLY, BOTH IN DIRECTION AND SPD. SINCE THE UNEXPECTED XWIND WAS BEYOND THE CAPABILITY OF THE ACFT, THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID THERE WAS NO MUCH THE PLT COULD DO.

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.