POSTFLT INSPECTION FOLLOWING AN ABNORMAL XWIND LNDG REVEALED PROP STRIKE DAMAGE.

Date: 1995-05 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|other-unspecified

Synopsis

POSTFLT INSPECTION FOLLOWING AN ABNORMAL XWIND LNDG REVEALED PROP STRIKE DAMAGE.

Narrative

NORMAL APCH TO LNDG AT ELMIRA ARPT ON RWY 28. SURFACE WIND 200-220 DEGS VARIABLE AT 11-17 KTS. SOME GUSTS AS RWY PARALLELS 2000 FT RIDGE. CONTINUOUS LIGHT TURB ON APCH. RWY 24 CLOSED FOR MAINT. ON VASI UNTIL SHORT FINAL. NORMAL XWIND TECHNIQUE USED WITH L WING LOW AND R RUDDER. XING THRESHOLD PWR REDUCED AND LNDG APPEARED NORMAL WITH A FIRM TOUCHDOWN (NOT A HARD LNDG) WITH L MAIN TOUCHING FIRST FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY R MAIN AND NOSE GEAR. ACFT TOOK A SMALL BOUNCE THEN SETTLED BACK TO RWY AS PREVIOUSLY STATED; BUT STAYED ON GND. FORWARD ELEVATOR AND LIGHT REVERSE WAS APPLIED THROUGHOUT NORMAL ROLLOUT. NO BRAKING WAS NEEDED. EXITED RWY AND TAXIED TO PARKING. UPON EXITING ACFT; DISCOVERED L PROP DAMAGE; TIPS BENT AND SCRAPED. L PROP MUST HAVE TOUCHED RWY ON LNDG. WE HAD NO INDICATION THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED DURING LNDG. I WAS AMAZED THIS COULD HAPPEN UNDER THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED. I BELIEVE WE MUST HAVE LANDED NOSE FIRST (ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT WAY). I HAVE LEARNED THAT EXTRA CAUTION MUST BE USED DURING XWIND LNDG TO HOLD NOSE OFF IN ORDER TO ENSURE ADEQUATE PROP CLRNC. ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO PROP TIPS. ACFT AT ELMIRA WAITING DELIVERY OF NEW PROP. NO PAX ON BOARD. REPOSITIONING FLT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.