Atx small transport gear collapsed during crosswind landing.

Attributes
ACN	81484
Time
Date	198801
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dal
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	81484
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After executing a normal landing on rny 13L at kdal in to a crosswind reported as 180 degree 18 knots gusting 25, I was unable to maintain directional control, due to weather cocking into the wind with full control deflection. As side loading increased the left main gear collapsed. Full down and locked gear indicators were observed prior to landing. Touchdown was nominal using the upwind wing low or sideslip technique. Severe gusting was observed during touchdown and rollout necessitating minimum crosswind technique. At one point during the weathercocking event I debated making a go around and elected to remain on the ground rather than risk more severe damage due to failure of a balked landing attempt. In retrospect I realized several decisions that might possibly have prevented the incident. By requesting landing on runway 18. As well, utilizing differential power(i.e. Increased power on the upwind engine) during rollout may have mitigated the weather cocking, reducing gear sideload. At the time of this report it is unknown whether mechanical failure was a factor in the gear collapse.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT GEAR COLLAPSED DURING CROSSWIND LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER EXECUTING A NORMAL LNDG ON RNY 13L AT KDAL IN TO A XWIND REPORTED AS 180 DEG 18 KNOTS GUSTING 25, I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL, DUE TO WEATHER COCKING INTO THE WIND WITH FULL CTL DEFLECTION. AS SIDE LOADING INCREASED THE L MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. FULL DOWN AND LOCKED GEAR INDICATORS WERE OBSERVED PRIOR TO LNDG. TOUCHDOWN WAS NOMINAL USING THE UPWIND WING LOW OR SIDESLIP TECHNIQUE. SEVERE GUSTING WAS OBSERVED DURING TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT NECESSITATING MINIMUM XWIND TECHNIQUE. AT ONE POINT DURING THE WEATHERCOCKING EVENT I DEBATED MAKING A GO AROUND AND ELECTED TO REMAIN ON THE GND RATHER THAN RISK MORE SEVERE DAMAGE DUE TO FAILURE OF A BALKED LNDG ATTEMPT. IN RETROSPECT I REALIZED SEVERAL DECISIONS THAT MIGHT POSSIBLY HAVE PREVENTED THE INCIDENT. BY REQUESTING LANDING ON RWY 18. AS WELL, UTILIZING DIFFERENTIAL POWER(I.E. INCREASED POWER ON THE UPWIND ENGINE) DURING ROLLOUT MAY HAVE MITIGATED THE WEATHER COCKING, REDUCING GEAR SIDELOAD. AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS A FACTOR IN THE GEAR COLLAPSE.

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