Narrative:

The pilot was practicing takeoff and lndgs in a 1930's type biplane. During landing rollout, an unexpected gust lifted the left wing. Before corrective action was taken, the aircraft headed off the runway to the right (about 30 degrees) and into the grass. The aircraft still possessed a considerable amount of energy while attempting to direct it back toward the runway. At this time the left landing gear/wheel dropped into a drainage ditch, arresting further forward travel and came to rest on the propeller and spinner. The unexpected maneuver of the aircraft, to me resembled a light landing bounce with exaggerated lateral or turning tendency. Contributing factors -- variable wind condition and pilot's experience with type aircraft. Factors affecting human performance -- lack of experience, exposure or recognition to this type of movement. In my recent training of tailwheel aircraft, focus had been placed on bounce recovery but always in a straight and forward direction. To prevent a recurrence of this type of incident, I think future training (certainly mine) should address this type of situation.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GREAT LAKES 2T-1A-2 PLT LOST LATERAL CTL ON LNDG, WENT OFF THE RWY, HIT A DITCH, AND WOUND UP ON ITS NOSE.

Narrative: THE PLT WAS PRACTICING TKOF AND LNDGS IN A 1930'S TYPE BIPLANE. DURING LNDG ROLLOUT, AN UNEXPECTED GUST LIFTED THE L WING. BEFORE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN, THE ACFT HEADED OFF THE RWY TO THE R (ABOUT 30 DEGS) AND INTO THE GRASS. THE ACFT STILL POSSESSED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DIRECT IT BACK TOWARD THE RWY. AT THIS TIME THE L LNDG GEAR/WHEEL DROPPED INTO A DRAINAGE DITCH, ARRESTING FURTHER FORWARD TRAVEL AND CAME TO REST ON THE PROP AND SPINNER. THE UNEXPECTED MANEUVER OF THE ACFT, TO ME RESEMBLED A LIGHT LNDG BOUNCE WITH EXAGGERATED LATERAL OR TURNING TENDENCY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS -- VARIABLE WIND CONDITION AND PLT'S EXPERIENCE WITH TYPE ACFT. FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN PERFORMANCE -- LACK OF EXPERIENCE, EXPOSURE OR RECOGNITION TO THIS TYPE OF MOVEMENT. IN MY RECENT TRAINING OF TAILWHEEL ACFT, FOCUS HAD BEEN PLACED ON BOUNCE RECOVERY BUT ALWAYS IN A STRAIGHT AND FORWARD DIRECTION. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT, I THINK FUTURE TRAINING (CERTAINLY MINE) SHOULD ADDRESS THIS TYPE OF SIT.

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.