Small aircraft pilot makes hard landing damaging nose gear and resulting in propeller strike.

Attributes
ACN	329848
Time
Date	199603
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vgt
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
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 : 78 flight time total : 580 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	329848
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This incident happened in gusting xwinds after a 5 1/2 hour flight that was mostly in IMC. Ice and vectoring en route resulted in the flight being lengthened by 2 hours (including an extra fuel stop). The aircraft was heavier (due to passenger, baggage and full fuel) than I had ever attempted in crosswind landing. I made 2 attempts at 2 runways with almost direct gusting xwinds and then requested a taxiway that used to be an active runway. This taxiway was better aligned with the wind but it had obstructions at the far end. In trying to land short and hold runway centerline I got too slow for the gusting and landed hard. The airplane bounced and the nosewheel tire blew resulting in a minor propeller strike with no stoppage. In the tower later I was told their anemometer was not completely accurate when the wind came from same directions. However the incident was the result of: 1) pilot fatigue after long flight. 2) poor decision of PIC not to land at mccarren field which had longer, wider and better aligned runway (our rental car was at vgt). 3) PIC concentration on short runway, obstructions, gusting winds, and failure to maintain extra airspeed on short final to compensate for gusts. 4) PIC did not realize how the increased aircraft weight would adversely affect short final landing performance. 5) PIC failed to recognize winds stronger on runway than reported.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT MAKES HARD LNDG DAMAGING NOSE GEAR AND RESULTING IN PROP STRIKE.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN GUSTING XWINDS AFTER A 5 1/2 HR FLT THAT WAS MOSTLY IN IMC. ICE AND VECTORING ENRTE RESULTED IN THE FLT BEING LENGTHENED BY 2 HRS (INCLUDING AN EXTRA FUEL STOP). THE ACFT WAS HEAVIER (DUE TO PAX, BAGGAGE AND FULL FUEL) THAN I HAD EVER ATTEMPTED IN XWIND LNDG. I MADE 2 ATTEMPTS AT 2 RWYS WITH ALMOST DIRECT GUSTING XWINDS AND THEN REQUESTED A TXWY THAT USED TO BE AN ACTIVE RWY. THIS TXWY WAS BETTER ALIGNED WITH THE WIND BUT IT HAD OBSTRUCTIONS AT THE FAR END. IN TRYING TO LAND SHORT AND HOLD RWY CTRLINE I GOT TOO SLOW FOR THE GUSTING AND LANDED HARD. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THE NOSEWHEEL TIRE BLEW RESULTING IN A MINOR PROP STRIKE WITH NO STOPPAGE. IN THE TWR LATER I WAS TOLD THEIR ANEMOMETER WAS NOT COMPLETELY ACCURATE WHEN THE WIND CAME FROM SAME DIRECTIONS. HOWEVER THE INCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF: 1) PLT FATIGUE AFTER LONG FLT. 2) POOR DECISION OF PIC NOT TO LAND AT MCCARREN FIELD WHICH HAD LONGER, WIDER AND BETTER ALIGNED RWY (OUR RENTAL CAR WAS AT VGT). 3) PIC CONCENTRATION ON SHORT RWY, OBSTRUCTIONS, GUSTING WINDS, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN EXTRA AIRSPD ON SHORT FINAL TO COMPENSATE FOR GUSTS. 4) PIC DID NOT REALIZE HOW THE INCREASED ACFT WT WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT SHORT FINAL LNDG PERFORMANCE. 5) PIC FAILED TO RECOGNIZE WINDS STRONGER ON RWY THAN RPTED.

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.