Moderate crosswinds with gusts on landing prove too large a hurdle for low time private pilot.

Attributes
ACN	814156
Time
Date	200812
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 141 flight time type : 141
ASRS Report	814156
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was cleared to land straight in for runway 22. The reported winds at the time were 160 degrees at 9 KTS with gusts to 15 KTS. I had some experience with crosswind lndgs and felt I could handle it; so I accepted the clearance. On my approach; I began to set up the airplane for landing with 20 degrees of flaps and 65 KTS IAS. I used the standard crab method for approach while I was on final. I also tuned in and tracked the localizer for practice holding a wind correction. As I began my flare; I applied left aileron and right rudder to maintain my directional control. My left main wheel touched down first; followed by my right main. After my nosewheel touched down I began to apply my brakes. At that time; I encountered a strong gust and the left wing began to rise and I tried to counter it with more left aileron. As the wing was still high; and fearing a ground loop; I applied right rudder to try and level the wings and began to drift to the right of the runway. The wings leveled off and I began to apply firm brake pressure but rolled into the grass. I then retracted my flaps and taxied onto the runway where I proceeded to the ramp. A thorough inspection of the main landing gear and the nosewheel showed no signs of damage. I called the monroe tower and informed them of what had happened. I believe it was an unwise decision to land on runway 22 when I could have just as easily requested to land on runway 18 (where I noticed aircraft landing and departing). I also had only 12 gals of fuel on board and I was the sole occupant; so needless to say; I was a bit lighter than I was accustomed to. I was wrong to assume that I could handle such gusty conditions and on my rollout was a bad time to realize I could use more practice. I would advise low time pilots to practice in a light crosswind with little or no gusts (with an instructor) to develop the proper technique and control inputs throughout the landing and takeoff. I am now setting personal limits on the crosswind component for my airplane and not just the maximum in the poh.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MODERATE CROSSWINDS WITH GUSTS ON LANDING PROVE TOO LARGE A HURDLE FOR LOW TIME PRIVATE PILOT.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 22. THE RPTED WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 160 DEGS AT 9 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 15 KTS. I HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH XWIND LNDGS AND FELT I COULD HANDLE IT; SO I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC. ON MY APCH; I BEGAN TO SET UP THE AIRPLANE FOR LNDG WITH 20 DEGS OF FLAPS AND 65 KTS IAS. I USED THE STANDARD CRAB METHOD FOR APCH WHILE I WAS ON FINAL. I ALSO TUNED IN AND TRACKED THE LOC FOR PRACTICE HOLDING A WIND CORRECTION. AS I BEGAN MY FLARE; I APPLIED L AILERON AND R RUDDER TO MAINTAIN MY DIRECTIONAL CTL. MY L MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN FIRST; FOLLOWED BY MY R MAIN. AFTER MY NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN I BEGAN TO APPLY MY BRAKES. AT THAT TIME; I ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST AND THE L WING BEGAN TO RISE AND I TRIED TO COUNTER IT WITH MORE L AILERON. AS THE WING WAS STILL HIGH; AND FEARING A GND LOOP; I APPLIED R RUDDER TO TRY AND LEVEL THE WINGS AND BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE R OF THE RWY. THE WINGS LEVELED OFF AND I BEGAN TO APPLY FIRM BRAKE PRESSURE BUT ROLLED INTO THE GRASS. I THEN RETRACTED MY FLAPS AND TAXIED ONTO THE RWY WHERE I PROCEEDED TO THE RAMP. A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE MAIN LNDG GEAR AND THE NOSEWHEEL SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE. I CALLED THE MONROE TWR AND INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I BELIEVE IT WAS AN UNWISE DECISION TO LAND ON RWY 22 WHEN I COULD HAVE JUST AS EASILY REQUESTED TO LAND ON RWY 18 (WHERE I NOTICED ACFT LNDG AND DEPARTING). I ALSO HAD ONLY 12 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND I WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT; SO NEEDLESS TO SAY; I WAS A BIT LIGHTER THAN I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO. I WAS WRONG TO ASSUME THAT I COULD HANDLE SUCH GUSTY CONDITIONS AND ON MY ROLLOUT WAS A BAD TIME TO REALIZE I COULD USE MORE PRACTICE. I WOULD ADVISE LOW TIME PLTS TO PRACTICE IN A LIGHT XWIND WITH LITTLE OR NO GUSTS (WITH AN INSTRUCTOR) TO DEVELOP THE PROPER TECHNIQUE AND CTL INPUTS THROUGHOUT THE LNDG AND TKOF. I AM NOW SETTING PERSONAL LIMITS ON THE XWIND COMPONENT FOR MY AIRPLANE AND NOT JUST THE MAX IN THE POH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.