Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 44; Flight Crew Total 329
Training / Qualification; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Object; Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Airport; Weather; Human Factors
I called Flight Service for a 13 minute phone call. Winds were to be gusting all day to somewhere in the 20 knot range. I arrived at XA:30 and two C182s were already pulled out. I proceed to do a walk around and started up the engine in the aircraft I was to be flying. The Chief Pilot took off with me to allow me to practice a landing on the grass. I noted the strong winds and announced my concern that I did not feel comfortable; and felt indirectly pressured into going to get fuel. The company was not doing business for about three weeks prior (do not know the real reason why); and this was the first day to start back up operations. As we were en-route; I was getting tossed around periodically. I did not feel comfortable. I expressed my concerns again saying I wasn't feeling comfortable the winds being too high; and did not get a response from the person I was talking too; and felt that this person was ignoring my concern. We took off [for the return flight]; other pilot landed first. I entered from the north with a midfield crosswind for left traffic for the runway. As I came over the trees on short final I had a stable approach and it all looked good using the crab method. Windsock showed a crosswind from the left. As I came down to flare; the stall warning went off and touched down at a nice and slow airspeed as recommended for a soft field landing. As soon as was wheels on the grass strip on the ground; the wind picked up stronger; and I veered down the right side of the runway; which is sloped downhill to the right a little in my opinion. As I tried to get back to centerline the airplane wobbled; so I stopped trying to do that so I didn't flip the aircraft on the ground. I tried to come to a complete stop but could not; before hitting the right wing on the metal pipe of the windsock; damaging the aircraft. The runway length was 2;800 and width was only 75 feet. I believe that the aeronautical decision making on that day wasn't there.  For myself and the person I had expressed my concern with. I believe the hazardous attitude of invulnerability played a role as well. Nothing has happened to me in my short aviation career to that date; so I did not take into consideration that the winds could cause a problem for me. What caused the problem was the decision to go on a strong wind day. I know now my personal limits have been reduced and never to fly in similar situation with high winds ever again.
C182 pilot reports being coerced into flying on a windy day by his Chief Pilot. Upon returning to the grass strip; the reporter loses control during landing in a crosswind and hits the windsock pole.