INEXPERIENCED PVT PLT OF C172 LOSES CTL ON TOUCHDOWN IN MODERATE XWIND. RWY EXCURSION RESULTS.

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A L BASE APCH WAS MADE TO RWY 10 WITH ATIS WHICH DESCRIBED WIND CONDITIONS AS 130 DEGS AT 10 KTS. NORMAL DSCNT AND GS WERE MADE AND MAINTAINED WITH AIRSPD AT APPROX 65-70 KTS ON FINAL. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ON THE MAINS SLIGHTLY R OF CTRLINE. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY A GUST OF WIND GAVE SIGNIFICANT LIFT TO THE R WING; WHICH WAS SUFFICIENT TO GIVE AN IMPRESSION THAT THE PLANE MIGHT TIP OVER OR AT LEAST CLIP THE L WINGTIP. THE YOKE AND RUDDER WERE DEPLOYED TO THE R WHICH RESULTED IN ALL WHEELS RESUMING CONTACT WITH THE RWY. HOWEVER; THIS CORRECTION RESULTED IN A SHARP R TURN. THE SUBSEQUENT ROLLOUT ON THAT LINE CARRIED THE PLANE OFF THE RWY. FULL PULLBACK ON THE YOKE AND HARD BRAKING WAS INITIATED WHILE ON THE PAVED SIDE OF THE RWY. THE REMAINING DISTANCE WAS TOO SHORT TO AVOID ALLOWING THE PLANE TO ROLL OUT ONTO THE SOFT; WATER-LADEN; RUTTED GRASSY AREA. THE PLANE'S 3 WHEELS WERE KEPT STRAIGHT DURING THE BRAKING. HOWEVER; DUE TO SOFTNESS/WETNESS OF THE EARTH; ALL WHEELS SUNK INTO THE MUD ABOUT HALFWAY. THE TWR WAS CALLED AND NOTIFIED OF THE SIT. ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN XWIND LNDGS WILL BE UNDERTAKEN WITH AN INSTRUCTOR DURING NEXT FLT.