Narrative:

While visiting las vegas; a friend and I decided to take a flight to see the grand canyon. I checked the WX via adds; and don't remember it being anything special. We stopped by a local FBO to talk about processes for flying in the cg airspace; and having those notes in hand; took off. When we took off; the ATIS was reporting winds of 160 degrees at 13 KTS (a crosswind of 8 KTS for runway 12).we had a great flight and returned to an ATIS reported crosswind of 220 degrees at 20 KTS (a crosswind of 10 KTS; should have been no problem); but the actual winds reported by the tower were 180 degrees at 25 KTS gusting to 35 KTS (for runway 25; crosswind of 24-32 KTS or runway 12; crosswind of 21-30 KTS). I tried landing several times on runways 12L; 12R; and 25; each time I would get stable and get blown off the runway centerline and I went around. On the last try on runway 12R I was stable; on centerline (mostly) and had correct control inputs in. I touched down with 1 wheel; put the other wheel down; and before getting the nosewheel down I was blown in a different direction. Upon exiting the runway; I decided that it was safer to try to keep the nosewheel off the ground; and slow to a stop without brakes rather than either to stomp on the brakes and risk a propeller strike; or to try to go around without an understanding of the ground ahead. I took out the glass portion of a taxiway light; along the way; and scratched the aluminum of the trim under the left landing gear leg; but otherwise had no damage or injuries. Factors: I was probably looking more at clouds and thunderstorms than at wind when checking the WX: at my home airport; these kinds of xwinds are rare; and I have not had experience in them before. After trying for about 30-60 mins of going around; I was probably tired as well; and could have made some mistakes. I am not sure what caused the actual runway diversion; it could have been a gust of wind; or it could have been something that I did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 PLT LNDG AT VGT LEFT THE RWY IN STRONG; GUSTY XWINDS; DAMAGING A RWY LIGHT.

Narrative: WHILE VISITING LAS VEGAS; A FRIEND AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A FLT TO SEE THE GRAND CANYON. I CHKED THE WX VIA ADDS; AND DON'T REMEMBER IT BEING ANYTHING SPECIAL. WE STOPPED BY A LCL FBO TO TALK ABOUT PROCESSES FOR FLYING IN THE CG AIRSPACE; AND HAVING THOSE NOTES IN HAND; TOOK OFF. WHEN WE TOOK OFF; THE ATIS WAS RPTING WINDS OF 160 DEGS AT 13 KTS (A XWIND OF 8 KTS FOR RWY 12).WE HAD A GREAT FLT AND RETURNED TO AN ATIS RPTED XWIND OF 220 DEGS AT 20 KTS (A XWIND OF 10 KTS; SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROB); BUT THE ACTUAL WINDS RPTED BY THE TWR WERE 180 DEGS AT 25 KTS GUSTING TO 35 KTS (FOR RWY 25; XWIND OF 24-32 KTS OR RWY 12; XWIND OF 21-30 KTS). I TRIED LNDG SEVERAL TIMES ON RWYS 12L; 12R; AND 25; EACH TIME I WOULD GET STABLE AND GET BLOWN OFF THE RWY CTRLINE AND I WENT AROUND. ON THE LAST TRY ON RWY 12R I WAS STABLE; ON CTRLINE (MOSTLY) AND HAD CORRECT CTL INPUTS IN. I TOUCHED DOWN WITH 1 WHEEL; PUT THE OTHER WHEEL DOWN; AND BEFORE GETTING THE NOSEWHEEL DOWN I WAS BLOWN IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. UPON EXITING THE RWY; I DECIDED THAT IT WAS SAFER TO TRY TO KEEP THE NOSEWHEEL OFF THE GND; AND SLOW TO A STOP WITHOUT BRAKES RATHER THAN EITHER TO STOMP ON THE BRAKES AND RISK A PROP STRIKE; OR TO TRY TO GO AROUND WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE GND AHEAD. I TOOK OUT THE GLASS PORTION OF A TXWY LIGHT; ALONG THE WAY; AND SCRATCHED THE ALUMINUM OF THE TRIM UNDER THE L LNDG GEAR LEG; BUT OTHERWISE HAD NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES. FACTORS: I WAS PROBABLY LOOKING MORE AT CLOUDS AND TSTMS THAN AT WIND WHEN CHKING THE WX: AT MY HOME ARPT; THESE KINDS OF XWINDS ARE RARE; AND I HAVE NOT HAD EXPERIENCE IN THEM BEFORE. AFTER TRYING FOR ABOUT 30-60 MINS OF GOING AROUND; I WAS PROBABLY TIRED AS WELL; AND COULD HAVE MADE SOME MISTAKES. I AM NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE ACTUAL RWY DIVERSION; IT COULD HAVE BEEN A GUST OF WIND; OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT I DID.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.