Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
Destination forecast predicted very windy and gusty conditions with strong crosswinds at the time of arrival. Various wind advisories were reported in the terminal area. During the arrival briefing I had checked that the crosswind did not exceed recommended aircraft crosswind limitations. Ten knots was added to Vref due to reported gusts; as a buffer and precautionary measure. The approach was stable all the way to touchdown with the occasional gusts and airspeed fluctuations from time to time. But throughout the approach the aircraft remained in a stable approach configuration. Right at touchdown (as the main wheels touched the ground) we experienced a significant gust of wind; forcing the right wing to dip. I immediately corrected with appropriate control input; followed by full left control input to keep the right wing from striking the ground. Full control inputs were made in an attempt to keep the aircraft stable and on the runway resulting in the engine pods #3 and #4 being scraped. The wind gust had momentarily exceeded the aileron authority at the time based on the airspeed during rollout. The gust happened so suddenly and quickly that there was not enough time to contemplate a go-around; except for immediately reacting to keep the right wingtip from dipping further and maintain some level of control and to keep the airplane on the runway. Upon further contemplation; a go-around would have put the aircraft in a less desirable condition at such a slow speed with the main wheels already on the ground. Consider delaying flights to arrive with more favorable weather conditions. Consider increasing crosswind limits to a more restrictive company standard.
Air carrier Captain reported the right wing engine pods were scraped during a gusty crosswind landing.