M4 ROCKET PLT LOSES CTL OF ACFT DURING LNDG IN GUSTY CONDITIONS. SWERVES OFF RWY; HITS RWY LIGHT AND GETS BACK ONTO RWY.

Date: 1997-03 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|deviation-track-heading-all-types|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown|other-runway-or-taxiway-excursion|other-unspecified

Synopsis

M4 ROCKET PLT LOSES CTL OF ACFT DURING LNDG IN GUSTY CONDITIONS. SWERVES OFF RWY; HITS RWY LIGHT AND GETS BACK ONTO RWY.

Narrative

I WAS APCHING TO LAND ON RWY 16 AT AAP FOLLOWING A FLT FROM TUS WITH A STOP IN FST FOR FUEL. I WAS FLYING MY MAULE M4-22OC. THE WIND WAS GUSTING FROM THE SW TO AN ESTIMATED 20-25 KTS AND IT WAS TURBULENT AS I LET DOWN ON FINAL APCH. I DID A WHEEL LNDG WITH THE CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE. AS THE MAIN GEAR TOUCHED DOWN A WIND GUST LIFTED THE R WING. I CORRECTED WITH R AILERON BUT AS I DID THE WIND WX-VANED THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE TO THE R; INTO THE WIND. THE TAIL HAD JUST BEGUN TO SETTLE TOWARD THE RWY. AS THE TAIL WENT L THE NOSE COCKED TO THE R; PIVOTING ON THE MAIN GEAR. I CORRECTED WITH FULL L RUDDER. RUDDER AUTH WAS INSUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE WIND GUST HOWEVER; AND THE AIRPLANE WENT ABOUT 10 FT OFF THE 50 FT WIDE RWY TO THE R BEFORE THE TAIL WAS ON THE GND; WHICH ALLOWED ME TO CORRECT BACK ONTO THE RWY. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE AIRPLANE AND A RWY LIGHT WAS RUN OVER BY THE PLANE'S R MAIN GEAR; BREAKING THE LIGHT BULB. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: PLT FATIGUE; GUSTY XWIND OVER A TREE LINE; RELATIVELY NARROW RWY; DEMANDING AIRPLANE TYPE IN A GUSTY XWIND.

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