RWY EXCURSION DURING ATTEMPTED LNDG PROC XWIND LNDG.

Narrative

ON JUL/MON/92 I LEFT ELKO ABOUT XX30 IN MY SMALL TAIL- DRAGGER TO FLY TO WELLS. ON ARRIVING WELLS AT APPROX XY30 AND CONTACTING UNICOM FOR WX AND RWY ADVISORIES; WINDS AT ABOUT 12 MPH FAVORED RWY 26. THE AIR WAS NOTED TO BE TURBULENT AND GUSTY BELOW ABOUT 400 FT ON BASE. MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT LNDG WAS UNSUCCESSFUL -- THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN; POSSIBLY TAIL LOW; AND BOUNCED. THE PLANE FELT DIFFICULT TO CTL; IN PART NO DOUBT DUE TO THE WIND CONDITIONS AND HIGH DENSITY ALT. THE LNDG DID NOT APPEAR TO BE IMPROVING SO A GAR WAS SUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED. SIMILAR CONDITIONS WERE NOTED ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT; ALONG WITH A DUST DEVIL ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE ARPT S OF THE HIGHWAY. DESPITE THE TURBULENCE THE PLANE SEEMED LINED UP PRETTY WELL ON FINAL FOR ANOTHER 3 POINT ATTEMPT; BUT AGAIN BOUNCED. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A CHANGE TO A XWIND OR SOME WINDSHEAR (SOME MOMENTARY DIRECT XWINDS WERE OBSERVED AFTERWARDS). AT ANY RATE THE R WING CAME UP AND I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL. THE PLANE VEERED TO THE L. A DECISION WAS MADE TO EXECUTE A GAR BUT THIS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLANE LEFT THE RWY AT ABOUT A 45 DEG ANGLE AND ENTERED SAGEBRUSH WHERE IT CAME TO REST. I EXITED THE ACFT UNINJURED. NO ONE ON THE GND WAS HURT; AND THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OR FIRE. IN RETROSPECT THERE ARE OF COURSE OTHER OPTIONS I WISH I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY; BUT IT WAS NOT A SIMULATOR. I'M GLAD NO ONE WAS HURT AND THAT IT WAS A RELATIVELY CHEAP LEARNING EXPERIENCE.