Narrative:

The pilot was on first unsupervised solo flight in a tail dragger. Preflight, runup and takeoff went smoothly. The plan was to do pattern work including lndgs and takeoffs. The pattern was flown and a prelndg check was done on left downwind for runway 16. Power was reduced and airplane was trimmed for approach speed of 70 mph. GS, airspeed, and runway alignment were excellent. After crossing the numbers, the plane was rounded out. As the flare was begun, the plane was blown to the left. Right aileron was applied to counter the wind. The right wingtip then touched the runway. Now concerned that the plane might cartwheel or ground loop, I applied left rudder and raised the wingtip 2-3 ft off the runway. I concluded that since the wingtip contacted the runway, the right main wheel was probably in contact with the ground. I was wrong. About 1 second after raising the wingtip, the right main wheel touched down and instantly snapped off. The plane then came to a stop resting on the left main, right wingtip, and right fuselage. When the right main broke, the propeller contacted the ground and bent. I should have gone around immediately after the roundout when blown off course. I probably should have gone around after the wingtip touched down. But at that point I was scared and wanted to stay on the ground and thought I could roll out off the runway. Before takeoff and on final, I should have had 'go around' on the tip of my tongue. I didn't. It came to my mind after it was too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BELLANCA DECATHLON PVT PLT SNAPS HIS R GEAR OFF DURING A XWIND LNDG ATTEMPT AT Q96. CA.

Narrative: THE PLT WAS ON FIRST UNSUPERVISED SOLO FLT IN A TAIL DRAGGER. PREFLT, RUNUP AND TKOF WENT SMOOTHLY. THE PLAN WAS TO DO PATTERN WORK INCLUDING LNDGS AND TKOFS. THE PATTERN WAS FLOWN AND A PRELNDG CHK WAS DONE ON L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16. PWR WAS REDUCED AND AIRPLANE WAS TRIMMED FOR APCH SPD OF 70 MPH. GS, AIRSPD, AND RWY ALIGNMENT WERE EXCELLENT. AFTER XING THE NUMBERS, THE PLANE WAS ROUNDED OUT. AS THE FLARE WAS BEGUN, THE PLANE WAS BLOWN TO THE L. R AILERON WAS APPLIED TO COUNTER THE WIND. THE R WINGTIP THEN TOUCHED THE RWY. NOW CONCERNED THAT THE PLANE MIGHT CARTWHEEL OR GND LOOP, I APPLIED L RUDDER AND RAISED THE WINGTIP 2-3 FT OFF THE RWY. I CONCLUDED THAT SINCE THE WINGTIP CONTACTED THE RWY, THE R MAIN WHEEL WAS PROBABLY IN CONTACT WITH THE GND. I WAS WRONG. ABOUT 1 SECOND AFTER RAISING THE WINGTIP, THE R MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN AND INSTANTLY SNAPPED OFF. THE PLANE THEN CAME TO A STOP RESTING ON THE L MAIN, R WINGTIP, AND R FUSELAGE. WHEN THE R MAIN BROKE, THE PROP CONTACTED THE GND AND BENT. I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ROUNDOUT WHEN BLOWN OFF COURSE. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND AFTER THE WINGTIP TOUCHED DOWN. BUT AT THAT POINT I WAS SCARED AND WANTED TO STAY ON THE GND AND THOUGHT I COULD ROLL OUT OFF THE RWY. BEFORE TKOF AND ON FINAL, I SHOULD HAVE HAD 'GO AROUND' ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE. I DIDN'T. IT CAME TO MY MIND AFTER IT WAS TOO LATE.

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.