Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65; Flight Crew Total 4500; Flight Crew Type 37
Other / Unknown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Ground Excursion Runway; Ground Excursion Taxiway; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Human Factors; Weather
Winds were moderate; variable; and gusty; but within limits for the aircraft. In accordance with accepted technique; half the gust factor; approximately 6 knots; was added to the final approach and landing speeds. Just after touchdown on the centerline; with all three gears established on the runway; a gust was felt and corrected for. As the correction was made with what was perceived as moderate aileron and rudder input; the airplane veered sharply to the left. With the thought that over-controlling back to the right could lead to the left wingtip dipping and then digging into the runway resulting in the aircraft tumbling (worst case) or a ground loop at high energy (best case); I elected to input enough control to keep the aircraft tracking as straight ahead as possible. This resulted in departing the runway surface to the left of the runway. Once in the gravel that was lining the left side of the runway; my entire focus was on maintaining enough control not to hit obstacles or dig in gear or wingtips so as to cause tumbling. In the process of dissipating energy; I crossed two high-speed taxiways at almost a perpendicular angle and at a still relatively high-speed resulting in the aircraft becoming lighter on the struts. The struts compressed again on the other side of the taxiways resulting in enough energy depletion to safely steer back to the runway surface.Upon re-establishing safe contact with asphalt; the aircraft was taxied a short distance to parking. Upon the post-flight walk-around inspection; there was visible damage to two of three propeller blade tips (of composite material made by Hartzell) from contact with gravel likely occurring when the struts compressed after crossing the taxiways. No other visible damage to the aircraft was observed nor were fluids observed to be leaking. It is very likely the root cause of this event was the application of too much rudder for the capabilities of the aircraft in countering the cross-wind gust after landing.The PA-46 line of aircraft is known to have very sensitive nose wheel steering; especially at higher speeds; and while being aware of it and managing it were trained to extensively; it's entirely possible that too much rudder was applied as was appropriate for this aircraft type. Habit pattern transference is a likely contributing factor in that I have several thousand hours in other type aircraft; to include very recent and continued professional flying experience in the Pilatus PC-12; and all of which do not exhibit the level of sensitivity in nose wheel steering that the PA-46 does. In instinctively applying the crosswind gust correction I'm used to; it is very possible that I applied an amount that was too much for safe control of the PA-46 at the time of occurrence.I do not feel training was a contributing factor as I received very thorough Piper-authorized training and initial conditioning in the aircraft with a Piper-authorized instructor. However; overall low time in type is definitely a contributing factor. Up to the time of this event; I had logged 20 landings in the PA-46 and several of which were in gusty conditions and or crosswinds similar to what was experienced during this event. In the future; the biggest take away from the event for me for flying the PA-46 is to concentrate on keeping the nose wheel off the runway as long as possible as energy depletes so that when the nose wheel does contact the runway; it's at the lowest speed practical. During this event the nose wheel was centered upon initial contact with the runway; as was emphasized in training. Any application of nose wheel steering at higher speeds should always be done very lightly at first to ensure the aircraft remains under control.
PA-46 pilot reported a runway excursion during the landing roll out.