Narrative:

Runway conditions were clear, wind reported (AWOS) as 9 KTS, direction variable from approximately 190 degrees to 280 degrees (runway is 25). Made normal pattern approach, on GS and aiming for second stripe. Was holding speed at 70-75 KIAS, with nose crabbed into wind. Touchdown on third stripe, approximately 70 KIAS, with nose aligned with centerline before flare. After all 3 wheels were down, I rolled about 150 ft down centerline then applied brakes. It felt that both main wheels locked, and then I was suddenly jerked to the right, and was skidding sideways. I believe I was applying left rudder, yet still going sideways. I then ran off the side of the runway onto grass. At that point, the rough grass apparently grabbed the nosegear, bending the tube over. The propeller (engine at idle) struck 1 tip on the ground as the nose came down due to the nosegear folding over. The plane stopped with the tail about 10 ft from the runway edge. There was no impact, and I was unhurt. The plane required a new nosegear tube and the propeller straightened. It is already back in service. 2 witnesses at the scene relayed that they saw me land normally, rollout, then suddenly skid and the plane jerk sideways. First, let me say that the change from straight to sideways happened so abruptly that I am not certain of the root cause. It is possible that I was WX-vaned by a cross gust. Of course, any instructor would probably say that I simply did not maintain directional control. I think it is also fair to say that 1 second difference either way, and there would have not been an incident. While I was aware of the variable gusts, I may have, while applying the brakes, relaxed too quickly from firm pressure on both pedals. I will not in the future relax until the plane is stopped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW PLT OF A ZENITH CH2T LOSES CTL OF ACFT ON A XWIND LNDG AND DEPARTS RWY IN A SIDE SKID AT AJO, CA.

Narrative: RWY CONDITIONS WERE CLR, WIND RPTED (AWOS) AS 9 KTS, DIRECTION VARIABLE FROM APPROX 190 DEGS TO 280 DEGS (RWY IS 25). MADE NORMAL PATTERN APCH, ON GS AND AIMING FOR SECOND STRIPE. WAS HOLDING SPD AT 70-75 KIAS, WITH NOSE CRABBED INTO WIND. TOUCHDOWN ON THIRD STRIPE, APPROX 70 KIAS, WITH NOSE ALIGNED WITH CTRLINE BEFORE FLARE. AFTER ALL 3 WHEELS WERE DOWN, I ROLLED ABOUT 150 FT DOWN CTRLINE THEN APPLIED BRAKES. IT FELT THAT BOTH MAIN WHEELS LOCKED, AND THEN I WAS SUDDENLY JERKED TO THE R, AND WAS SKIDDING SIDEWAYS. I BELIEVE I WAS APPLYING L RUDDER, YET STILL GOING SIDEWAYS. I THEN RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY ONTO GRASS. AT THAT POINT, THE ROUGH GRASS APPARENTLY GRABBED THE NOSEGEAR, BENDING THE TUBE OVER. THE PROP (ENG AT IDLE) STRUCK 1 TIP ON THE GND AS THE NOSE CAME DOWN DUE TO THE NOSEGEAR FOLDING OVER. THE PLANE STOPPED WITH THE TAIL ABOUT 10 FT FROM THE RWY EDGE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, AND I WAS UNHURT. THE PLANE REQUIRED A NEW NOSEGEAR TUBE AND THE PROP STRAIGHTENED. IT IS ALREADY BACK IN SVC. 2 WITNESSES AT THE SCENE RELAYED THAT THEY SAW ME LAND NORMALLY, ROLLOUT, THEN SUDDENLY SKID AND THE PLANE JERK SIDEWAYS. FIRST, LET ME SAY THAT THE CHANGE FROM STRAIGHT TO SIDEWAYS HAPPENED SO ABRUPTLY THAT I AM NOT CERTAIN OF THE ROOT CAUSE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I WAS WX-VANED BY A CROSS GUST. OF COURSE, ANY INSTRUCTOR WOULD PROBABLY SAY THAT I SIMPLY DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL. I THINK IT IS ALSO FAIR TO SAY THAT 1 SECOND DIFFERENCE EITHER WAY, AND THERE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT. WHILE I WAS AWARE OF THE VARIABLE GUSTS, I MAY HAVE, WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, RELAXED TOO QUICKLY FROM FIRM PRESSURE ON BOTH PEDALS. I WILL NOT IN THE FUTURE RELAX UNTIL THE PLANE IS STOPPED.

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.