Narrative:

Upon arrival at rdu on the morning of jan/92 we found surface wind conditions to be strong and gusty. Initial reports indicated the wind to be 300 degrees at 19 KTS gusting to 32. As we approached the field, subsequent reports indicated the winds were diminishing. Steady state conditions were reported form 14 to 17 KTS with no gust. We received vectors to the runway 23 localizer and upon extension of the gear found that we did not have a gear down indication on the right main landing gear. We broke off the approach, recycled the gear and got a safe indication. We then returned for approach to 23R. We encountered moderate turbulence during the approach from approximately 700 ft AGL to about 300 ft AGL but did not experience any excessive deviation in airspeed, pitch or sink rate. Wind was reported by the tower as 290 degree at 14 KTS -(no gust). At 200 ft AGL we were stabilized on speed and on GS. The crab was removed for touchdown as the flair was commenced the right wing dropped very abruptly. Opposite aileron was applied instantaneously and the wings leveled. No engine contact with the runway was felt. Taxi to the ramp was normal. Post flight inspection of #4 engine revealed lower cowl damage. No engine or structural damage resulted from this incident. Low engine ground clearance combined with a severe vertical shear and considered to be primary contributing factors in this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HVT FRT ACFT HIT R ENG POD LNDG AT RDU IN A XWIND.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT RDU ON THE MORNING OF JAN/92 WE FOUND SURFACE WIND CONDITIONS TO BE STRONG AND GUSTY. INITIAL RPTS INDICATED THE WIND TO BE 300 DEGS AT 19 KTS GUSTING TO 32. AS WE APCHED THE FIELD, SUBSEQUENT RPTS INDICATED THE WINDS WERE DIMINISHING. STEADY STATE CONDITIONS WERE RPTED FORM 14 TO 17 KTS WITH NO GUST. WE RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE RWY 23 LOC AND UPON EXTENSION OF THE GEAR FOUND THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A GEAR DOWN INDICATION ON THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR. WE BROKE OFF THE APCH, RECYCLED THE GEAR AND GOT A SAFE INDICATION. WE THEN RETURNED FOR APCH TO 23R. WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB DURING THE APCH FROM APPROX 700 FT AGL TO ABOUT 300 FT AGL BUT DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY EXCESSIVE DEV IN AIRSPD, PITCH OR SINK RATE. WIND WAS RPTED BY THE TWR AS 290 DEG AT 14 KTS -(NO GUST). AT 200 FT AGL WE WERE STABILIZED ON SPD AND ON GS. THE CRAB WAS REMOVED FOR TOUCHDOWN AS THE FLAIR WAS COMMENCED THE R WING DROPPED VERY ABRUPTLY. OPPOSITE AILERON WAS APPLIED INSTANTANEOUSLY AND THE WINGS LEVELED. NO ENG CONTACT WITH THE RWY WAS FELT. TAXI TO THE RAMP WAS NORMAL. POST FLT INSPECTION OF #4 ENG REVEALED LOWER COWL DAMAGE. NO ENG OR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE RESULTED FROM THIS INCIDENT. LOW ENG GND CLRNC COMBINED WITH A SEVERE VERT SHEAR AND CONSIDERED TO BE PRIMARY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS EVENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.