Narrative:

My aircraft was approaching ZZZ. The wind was from 240 degrees and the velocity was 15 KTS, gusting to 25 KTS. When approaching the runway 28, the rudder was able to hold the aircraft on the centerline of the runway. Since there was a crosswind, I landed with the left main gear first. Shortly, I put both main gear on the runway and then lowered the nosewheel. It seemed like a normal landing. Suddenly, a large gust turned the plane towards the left. Full right rudder did not stop the wxvane from proceeding -- the nosewheel just skidded. Since I had just landed, the aircraft was moving about 40-50 mph. Instructors have said that when the aircraft is traveling at a great speed, it is better to use the rudder instead of the brakes, so I did not use the brakes. The aircraft went off the runway and into a muddy field. The nosewheel gear is bent noticeably. When the nose gear strut failed, the propeller struck, the ground, but this was at the end of the trip through the field. While the case for using rudder only works in general, I believe in this case it would have been better if I had used full right rudder and right brakes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT, LNDG ON RWY 28 AT ZZZ, DEPARTED THE LNDG RWY DUE TO IMPROPER XWIND LNDG TECHNIQUE.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS APCHING ZZZ. THE WIND WAS FROM 240 DEGS AND THE VELOCITY WAS 15 KTS, GUSTING TO 25 KTS. WHEN APCHING THE RWY 28, THE RUDDER WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE ACFT ON THE CTRLINE OF THE RWY. SINCE THERE WAS A XWIND, I LANDED WITH THE L MAIN GEAR FIRST. SHORTLY, I PUT BOTH MAIN GEAR ON THE RWY AND THEN LOWERED THE NOSEWHEEL. IT SEEMED LIKE A NORMAL LNDG. SUDDENLY, A LARGE GUST TURNED THE PLANE TOWARDS THE L. FULL R RUDDER DID NOT STOP THE WXVANE FROM PROCEEDING -- THE NOSEWHEEL JUST SKIDDED. SINCE I HAD JUST LANDED, THE ACFT WAS MOVING ABOUT 40-50 MPH. INSTRUCTORS HAVE SAID THAT WHEN THE ACFT IS TRAVELING AT A GREAT SPD, IT IS BETTER TO USE THE RUDDER INSTEAD OF THE BRAKES, SO I DID NOT USE THE BRAKES. THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY AND INTO A MUDDY FIELD. THE NOSEWHEEL GEAR IS BENT NOTICEABLY. WHEN THE NOSE GEAR STRUT FAILED, THE PROP STRUCK, THE GND, BUT THIS WAS AT THE END OF THE TRIP THROUGH THE FIELD. WHILE THE CASE FOR USING RUDDER ONLY WORKS IN GENERAL, I BELIEVE IN THIS CASE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF I HAD USED FULL R RUDDER AND R BRAKES.

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.