Incident Overview
A pilot landed an aircraft on Runway 36 at Morris Municipal Airport (C09) under reported crosswind conditions. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left, exited the runway, and encountered a drop-off in a grassy area, resulting in damage to the nose strut and propeller. One runway light was also damaged.
Pilot Account
According to a written statement from the pilot, upon arrival at Morris (C09), the windsock indicated winds from the northeast at 8 to 10 knots. The pilot entered the traffic pattern for Runway 36. As the main landing gear touched down, a strong gust of wind from the right pushed the airplane toward the left side of the runway, near the runway lights. When the nose wheel touched down, the airplane again pulled to the left. To avoid striking several runway lights, the pilot attempted to guide the airplane between the lights into the grassy area to the left of the runway. While slowing in the grass, the airplane encountered a drop-off of about 5 feet into a drainage area. The airplane went over the drop-off. The nose strut bent backwards and the propeller struck the ground.
Airport Conditions
The airport manager reported that the winds at C09 were from 090 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 15 knots. One runway light, located approximately 500 to 1,000 feet from the threshold of Runway 36, was damaged during the incident.
Aircraft Inspection
An inspection of the aircraft revealed no mechanical anomalies. The engine and airframe were found to be free of any preexisting malfunctions that could have contributed to the loss of directional control.