Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 152; Flight Crew Total 2022; Flight Crew Type 155
Human-Machine Interface
Ground Event / Encounter Object; Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Weather
I decided to land at the uncontrolled airport to the north [on Runway 34]. The winds were out of the northeast between 30 and 40 knots on the ground. At this airport moderate or greater mechanical turbulence can be expected below 1;500-2;000 feet when there are strong winds out of the northwest or northeast quadrants; I expected this. From my 4;500 foot cruise altitude; I began a stabilized descent to pattern altitude; the entire descent was in smooth air. I overflew the airport at 1;000 feet still in unexpectedly smooth air and made a left turn to enter the left downwind. The initial descent in the traffic pattern was also in smooth air. However; about half way through base leg turbulence began to develop. The turbulence was not consistent with what one might expect from the reported wind condition. In my experience; it was more consistent with a 20 knot surface wind. I rolled out on final in a stabilized descent and the VASI indicated I was on glidepath. My alignment with the runway was slightly left of the left-side runway edge lights as a result of the right crosswind so I corrected by increasing the crab angle of the aircraft farther to the right; the aircraft began drifting back towards the runway center. When I crossed the runway threshold; I was over the left side of the runway and transitioning from a crab to a forward slip. The aircraft was still drifting right towards the center of the runway once the forward slip was established; and I intended to continue drifting to the center of the runway and then execute a normal crosswind landing. However; the aircraft touched down prematurely on the left side of the runway. Since I had not started the landing flare the impact was firm and resulted in a bounce. I increased right rudder to maintain directional control and added power to prevent a porpoise and soften the subsequent touchdown. As the pitch attitude lowered; the runway came back into full view; and the aircraft made contact with the runway again; it was clear that the aircraft was now being blown back to the left and was nearing the edge of the runway. I input full right rudder; increased right aileron; and began to increase power to try and keep the aircraft on the runway; however; the limited response time and strong crosswind kept pushing the aircraft left. The airframe and/or propeller began striking the runway edge lights; and I elected to close the throttle and not attempt a go around and aggravate an already bad situation. Instead; I tried to keep the aircraft on the runway as long as possible and slow the airplane as much as possible. Eventually the left main caught the soft snow on the side of the runway and the airplane turned to the left and came to a rest and the bottom of the small embankment on the side of the runway.
A C-207 pilot landing at night with strong gusty crosswinds on a lighted but questionably maintained gravel airstrip in Alaska lost control of the aircraft and exited the left side of the runway; striking runway edge lights with the aircraft and/or the propeller while doing so.