Narrative:

I am sending this report in hopes it will help other pilots from having the same experience. I am a pilot for a part 135 charter service in puget sound. I was alone and flying a C206 at the time of the occurrence. The WX conditions at friday harbor airport were: wind 140 degrees 45 KTS gusting 58 KTS, ceiling above 30. I landed at fhr airport about XC50 pm and taxied to customs parking at the south end of the fhr terminal building. I was inbound from canada. As I was taxiing I asked dispatch whether I should come to our parking at the north end of the terminal or south to customs. (I wanted north, so I could keep the wind on my tail.) their reply was to customs. I went for it and turned left towards customs putting the wind at my 7-8 O'clock position. I had full flaps down and full forward and right bank input on the controls. When I got close to the terminal with the port office on my left and in front, the wind seemed to pick up in intensity and really start to buffet the aircraft around. I decided to get the aircraft turned left into the wind. At this time a gust of wind picked up the left wing followed by the tail. I pulled the mixture control cutoff as the engine was at full idle, to save the propeller and engine. (I was too late.) the right wing hit the pavement and then the propeller, which had to turn at least 3 more revolutions. I then put the flaps full up as the aircraft spun around and sat back down on the ground. I have found since that this 'wind tunnel' effect by the terminal buildings has caused similar accidents before at this location and is known to local pilots. A notice or signs placed on the ramp warning of this phenomenon of higher gusty winds around the terminal on extra windy days would be appreciated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN ATX C206 LOST CTL OF THE ACFT DURING TAXI TO PARKING IN STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE R WING AND PROP WHEN THE WIND BLEW THE ACFT UP ON THE R WING AND PROP.

Narrative: I AM SENDING THIS RPT IN HOPES IT WILL HELP OTHER PLTS FROM HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCE. I AM A PLT FOR A PART 135 CHARTER SVC IN PUGET SOUND. I WAS ALONE AND FLYING A C206 AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE WX CONDITIONS AT FRIDAY HARBOR ARPT WERE: WIND 140 DEGS 45 KTS GUSTING 58 KTS, CEILING ABOVE 30. I LANDED AT FHR ARPT ABOUT XC50 PM AND TAXIED TO CUSTOMS PARKING AT THE S END OF THE FHR TERMINAL BUILDING. I WAS INBOUND FROM CANADA. AS I WAS TAXIING I ASKED DISPATCH WHETHER I SHOULD COME TO OUR PARKING AT THE N END OF THE TERMINAL OR S TO CUSTOMS. (I WANTED N, SO I COULD KEEP THE WIND ON MY TAIL.) THEIR REPLY WAS TO CUSTOMS. I WENT FOR IT AND TURNED L TOWARDS CUSTOMS PUTTING THE WIND AT MY 7-8 O'CLOCK POS. I HAD FULL FLAPS DOWN AND FULL FORWARD AND R BANK INPUT ON THE CTLS. WHEN I GOT CLOSE TO THE TERMINAL WITH THE PORT OFFICE ON MY L AND IN FRONT, THE WIND SEEMED TO PICK UP IN INTENSITY AND REALLY START TO BUFFET THE ACFT AROUND. I DECIDED TO GET THE ACFT TURNED L INTO THE WIND. AT THIS TIME A GUST OF WIND PICKED UP THE L WING FOLLOWED BY THE TAIL. I PULLED THE MIXTURE CTL CUTOFF AS THE ENG WAS AT FULL IDLE, TO SAVE THE PROP AND ENG. (I WAS TOO LATE.) THE R WING HIT THE PAVEMENT AND THEN THE PROP, WHICH HAD TO TURN AT LEAST 3 MORE REVOLUTIONS. I THEN PUT THE FLAPS FULL UP AS THE ACFT SPUN AROUND AND SAT BACK DOWN ON THE GND. I HAVE FOUND SINCE THAT THIS 'WIND TUNNEL' EFFECT BY THE TERMINAL BUILDINGS HAS CAUSED SIMILAR ACCIDENTS BEFORE AT THIS LOCATION AND IS KNOWN TO LCL PLTS. A NOTICE OR SIGNS PLACED ON THE RAMP WARNING OF THIS PHENOMENON OF HIGHER GUSTY WINDS AROUND THE TERMINAL ON EXTRA WINDY DAYS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

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.