PVT PLT OF A C172 LOST CTL OF HIS ACFT IN A GUSTY XWIND DURING LNDG AND WENT OFF THE RWY. NO RPTED DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative

I NOTIFIED TWR OF MY POS; AND TWR AGAIN GAVE ME CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 22 AND RPTED WINDS AT 140 DEGS AT 14 KTS. UPON RECEIPT OF THAT XMISSION; I REPEATED THE WIND CONDITIONS BACK TO SPRINGFIELD TWR; AND THEY IN TURN REPEATED WINDS AT 140 DEGS AT 14 KTS. AS I BROUGHT THE AIRPLANE DOWN TO THE RWY; I INTENTIONALLY FLEW A SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN NORMAL APCH IN ORDER TO INCREASE APCH SPD BY 5-7 KTS. DUE TO WIND CONDITIONS; I KNEW THAT ONCE IN MY ROUND OUT; THE AIRPLANE WOULD BLEED OFF AIRSPD AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE. LEVELING OUT THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 15 FT OFF THE GND; I USED L RUDDER TO KEEP MY ACFT CTRED ON THE RWY CTRLINE. WHILE IN THE FLARE; I TOOK GREAT CAUTION TO MAINTAIN THAT MY L WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN FIRST; THE WHOLE TIME KEEPING MY ACFT CTRED ON THE RWY. AS MY L WHEEL TOUCHED THE GND; I MAINTAINED MY CTR POS ON THE RWY; AND WAS ANTICIPATING MY R WHEEL TO TOUCH THE GND AT ANY SECOND. I SAY ANTICIPATING; BECAUSE I KNEW THAT ONCE BOTH WHEELS WERE ON THE GND; I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY APPLY FULL AILERON DEFLECTION TO L; IN ORDER TO KEEP THE WIND FROM BLOWING OR FLIPPING MY ACFT ACROSS THE RWY. HOWEVER; WHILE AWAITING THE TOUCHDOWN OF MY R WHEEL; WHICH WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF SECONDS; MY ACFT EXPERIENCED A STRONG GUST OF WIND FROM THE L REAR SIDE. IMMEDIATELY; MY ACFT BECAME 20-30 DEGS OFF RWY CTR AND NOW BOTH MAIN GEAR WHEELS WERE ON THE GND. I QUICKLY GLANCED DOWN AT THE AIRSPD INDICATOR AND NOTICED THAT MY IAS WAS BTWN 65 AND 70 KTS. AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME; I KNEW I HAD 2 DECISIONS TO MAKE. I COULD APPLY FULL PWR AND ATTEMPT A TKOF AT AN EXTREMELY BAD ATTITUDE; OR I COULD APPLY R RUDDER AND BRAKES AND TRY TO KEEP THE ACFT ON THE RWY. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT TO APPLY FULL PWR WOULD PUSH A BAD POS; AND MY ACFT WAS ALREADY BEHIND THE PWR CURVE. THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO STEP ON THE R RUDDER AND APPLY THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO KEEP MY ACFT ON THE RWY. AT THIS POINT THOUGH; MY ACFT WAS AT ANGLE TOO FAR OFF CTR (20-30 DEGS); SO I TRIED TO STAY ON THE RWY AS LONG AS I COULD. INEVITABLY; I WAS UNABLE TO STAY ON THE RWY AND THEREFORE I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO EXIT THE RWY.