A PA28 PLT; LNDG ON RWY 28 AT ZZZ; DEPARTED THE LNDG RWY DUE TO IMPROPER XWIND LNDG TECHNIQUE.

Narrative

MY ACFT WAS APCHING ZZZ. THE WIND WAS FROM 240 DEGS AND THE VELOCITY WAS 15 KTS; GUSTING TO 25 KTS. WHEN APCHING THE RWY 28; THE RUDDER WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE ACFT ON THE CTRLINE OF THE RWY. SINCE THERE WAS A XWIND; I LANDED WITH THE L MAIN GEAR FIRST. SHORTLY; I PUT BOTH MAIN GEAR ON THE RWY AND THEN LOWERED THE NOSEWHEEL. IT SEEMED LIKE A NORMAL LNDG. SUDDENLY; A LARGE GUST TURNED THE PLANE TOWARDS THE L. FULL R RUDDER DID NOT STOP THE WXVANE FROM PROCEEDING -- THE NOSEWHEEL JUST SKIDDED. SINCE I HAD JUST LANDED; THE ACFT WAS MOVING ABOUT 40-50 MPH. INSTRUCTORS HAVE SAID THAT WHEN THE ACFT IS TRAVELING AT A GREAT SPD; IT IS BETTER TO USE THE RUDDER INSTEAD OF THE BRAKES; SO I DID NOT USE THE BRAKES. THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY AND INTO A MUDDY FIELD. THE NOSEWHEEL GEAR IS BENT NOTICEABLY. WHEN THE NOSE GEAR STRUT FAILED; THE PROP STRUCK; THE GND; BUT THIS WAS AT THE END OF THE TRIP THROUGH THE FIELD. WHILE THE CASE FOR USING RUDDER ONLY WORKS IN GENERAL; I BELIEVE IN THIS CASE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF I HAD USED FULL R RUDDER AND R BRAKES.