PLT OF A P51 MOMENTARILY LOST DIRECTIONAL CTL DURING LNDG DUE TO A WIND GUST RESULTING IN THE ACFT GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN AS THE PLT REGAINED CTL.

Narrative

DURING XWIND LNDG TRAINING AT ARB ARPT A WIND GUST WAS EXPERIENCED ON THE ROLLOUT. THE PLT UNDER-CORRECTED FOR THE WIND GUST; WITH RUDDER AND BRAKES; RESULTING IN THE ACFT DEPARTING THE RWY IN A CTLED MANNER AT A SHALLOW ANGLE OF ATTACK. THE ACFT WAS ACCORDINGLY SLOWED WITH A LIGHT COORDINATED APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES FOR A TURN BACK ONTO THE PAVED SURFACE. THE LARGEST ANGLE OF INCIDENCE TO THE RWY CTRLINE WAS LESS THAN 30 DEGS. THE ACFT DID NOT GND LOOP AND WAS WITHIN THE PLT'S CTL AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT FOR THE ALIGNMENT CHANGE WHICH WAS EFFECTED BY THE ACFT'S R HAND MAIN LNDG WHEEL'S CONTACT WITH THE TURF. UNFORTUNATELY; A RWY EDGE MARKING LIGHT MADE CONTACT WITH SOME PART OF THE ACFT DURING THE DEP AND WAS KNOCKED DOWN. THE ACFT RECEIVED NO DAMAGE FROM EITHER THE CONTACT WITH THE LIGHT NOR FROM THE RWY DEP. IN PREPARATION FOR THIS SPECIALIZED TAILWHEEL ACFT; THE PLT INITIATED AN INTENSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL PREDICTABLE WX; AND ENG EMER CONDITIONS; COVERING THE PAST 24 MONTHS. THE INITIAL PHASE STARTED WITH 65 HRS TRAINING IN A PIPER J3 CUB (DUAL AND SOLO); ADVANCED TO 100 HRS IN A NORTH AMERICAN AT6 (DUAL AND SOLO); AND FINISHED WITH 16 HRS IN A NORTH AMERICAN P51 MUSTANG EQUIPPED WITH A 2-PLACE CONVERSION WITH DUAL CTLS FOR FINAL DUAL INSTRUCTION. THE SOLO TRAINING IS ONGOING AND CONTINUES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SIMULATED ENG EMERS; LNDG GEAR DEPLOYMENT EMERS; AND ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS INCLUDING VARIOUS XWIND AND GUSTY XWIND PROBLEMATIC SITS. THE PLT COMPLETED A BIANNUAL FLT REVIEW IN THIS ACFT ON FEB/FRI/96.