MLG FLC LNDG IN QUARTERING TAIL XWIND HAD POOR BRAKING; LOSS OF CTL WHEN APPLYING REVERSE THRUST. TAXI LIGHTS AND TIRES DAMAGED.
Synopsis
MLG FLC LNDG IN QUARTERING TAIL XWIND HAD POOR BRAKING; LOSS OF CTL WHEN APPLYING REVERSE THRUST. TAXI LIGHTS AND TIRES DAMAGED.
Narrative
FLYING INTO EL PASO IN AN MLG; WX IS RPTED AS W3X2S-F 36/34 3505 020-FLYING ILS RWY 22. BRAKING ACTION HAD BEEN RPTED AS FAIR TO POOR BY AN MLG B 30 MINS PRIOR. THE FO WAS FLYING THE APCH AND LNDG. HE LANDED A LITTLE LONG; TOUCHED DOWN SMOOTHLY AND EASED IN THE REVERSE. UPON APPLICATION OF REVERSE THRUST; THE ACFT WEATHERVANED INTO THE WIND AND STARTED DRIFTING TOWARD THE L EDGE OF THE RWY. I ASSUMED CTL OF THE ACFT; BROUGHT IT OUT OF REVERSE THRUST; AND CORRECTED BACK TOWARD CENTERLINE. I MUST HAVE OVERCTLED; BECAUSE NEXT THING I BECAME AWARE OF WAS THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE SLIDING TOWARD THE R RWY EDGE LIGHTS. ABOUT THEN I REALIZED MY L HAND WAS ON THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING WHEEL. I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE R; THE SAME TECHNIQUE USED TO RECOVER FROM A SKID IN A CAR. THAT BROUGHT THE ACFT BACK UNDER CTL. A POST-FLT INSPECTION FOUND CUTS IN BOTH L MAIN GEAR TIRES. I CALLED EL PASO TWR AND REQUESTED A RWY EDGE LIGHT INSPECTION WHICH REVEALED ONE DAMAGED EDGE LIGHT ON THE L SIDE OF THE RWY. AS CAPT; I DIDN'T CONSIDER 5 KTS OF QUARTERING TAILWIND MUCH OF A CTLABILITY THREAT. HOWEVER; WHEN COMBINED WITH LOSS OF RUDDER EFFECTIVENESS DURING REVERSE THRUST AND THE INABILITY OF THE TIRES TO GRIP THE RWY BECAUSE OF HYDROPLANING; I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD. APPARENTLY THIS RUDDER BLANKING EFFECT OF REVERSE THRUST IS A CHARACTERISTIC THE MLG SHARES WITH OTHER ACFT TYPES WHICH HAVE TAIL MOUNTED ENGS. THIS EXPERIENCE WILL HELP ME ANTICIPATE CTLABILITY REDUCTION WHEN LNDG ON A SLICK RWY WITH EVEN A LIGHT XWIND.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.