Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35.1; Flight Crew Total 913.3; Flight Crew Type 383.7
Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Event / Encounter Object; Ground Excursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Human Factors; Weather
On visual approach from the northeast to land I was handed off from Approach to Tower. ATIS information Zulu was current and as I recall; ATIS winds were reported at 170 at 15 gusting to 25. Tower instructed me to report a 3-mile left base for runway 17; which I did. When I did; tower informed me that 'winds are all over the place' and asked me if I would prefer runway 22. I recall the wind check at that time as approximately 190 at 20-something gusting to 20-something. At a 30 degree crosswind (190 to 220) I determined the crosswind component to be between 12 and 15 knots; which is less than the aircraft's 18 knot limit. I chose runway 22 because it is longer than 17. Soon after landing; on rollout a very strong gust from the left occurred. I must have overcorrected which caused the aircraft to leave the runway; to the left. I still had substantial airspeed and 20 degrees of flaps still deployed; so I chose to apply full power; take off; and do a go around. Tower asked if I thought there was any aircraft damage and I replied that I didn't think so. Tower then reported that the winds were variable and 'back and forth' - 180 at 20-ish gusting to 25 at the moment; so I chose runway 17; then landed normally. I discovered the passenger side front side window had been broken in the upper-rear corner. No other damage was apparent; and there were no injuries. Tower phone called me about 1/2 hour later to inform me that on rollout I had collided or ran over one runway edge light (this is possibly what broke the window). In hindsight; when initially offered the choice of runway 22 or 17; and while on final approach; I should have requested several wind checks because the wind was variable and shearing slightly. Due to the gusting conditions I stopped flap deployment at 20 degrees and added 1/2 of the gust factor (which was about 25/2=12 knots). My approach speed was about 80 knots which was probably too fast and caused more float than desired; and made the rollout more lengthy and difficult to control. On the other hand; with less speed upon leaving the runway; I would have been too slow to add power and get airborne again. The resulting rollout off the runway may have resulted in possible injuries and substantially more aircraft damage.Perhaps I should have just gone around initially; in hopes of lesser wind on a subsequent approach; however; my initial landing itself was reasonable; it was the gust at a higher-than-desirable rollout speed that caused the problem. This emphasizes the importance of appropriate; stable final approach speeds during very windy conditions; and maintaining high vigilance and crosswind corrections AFTER touchdown and on rollout and taxi.Other nearby airports were reporting equally strong and gusty wind conditions; so diverting to any of them may not have resulted in any better outcome.
The pilot of a C182 reported a loss of control on landing rollout in windy conditions that led to a runway excursion and contact with a runway edge light.