Narrative:

A visual approach was made to the airport landing on runway 18. The winds were reported on ASOS to be 080 degrees at 9 KTS. During the final, I opted for full flaps. I decided that full flaps would be used to reduce landing roll, because I used a 2 wheel touchdown on the main gear. When the tail was about to settle to the runway, the airplane appeared to weathervane into the prevailing wind. I was approaching the runway edge when I added power to full. I felt as though I was not getting the airplane to steer back effectively towards the center and I thought a go around would be warranted. With the stick aft, the airplane lifted off. The torque, wind, and low airspeed took effect, and the airplane started to roll to the right. I immediately reduced the angle of attack and now had the main gear back on the runway. I was not able to steer effectively back towards the centerline and the airplane departed the runway on the downwind side. The airplane came to rest 180 degrees to the original heading about 200 ft from the runway. I believe I had directional control difficulty based on the steering of the airplane with rudder, the tailwheel, flap setting, power setting, and wind conditions. Considering corrective actions, I would have flown the landing with a 1/2 flap setting (20 degrees for this airplane). I would in the future consider how much power I use for directional control and when I make my decision to go around. I will further educate myself in other possible problems that could contribute to ctlability on landing. I also continue to study the use of 3-POINT lndgs versus 2-POINT lndgs in tailwheel airplanes with an emphasis to be familiar with both types.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NORTH AMERICAN SNJ PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CTL DURING A XWIND LNDG RESULTING IN GOING OFF THE RWY AND FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: A VISUAL APCH WAS MADE TO THE ARPT LNDG ON RWY 18. THE WINDS WERE RPTED ON ASOS TO BE 080 DEGS AT 9 KTS. DURING THE FINAL, I OPTED FOR FULL FLAPS. I DECIDED THAT FULL FLAPS WOULD BE USED TO REDUCE LNDG ROLL, BECAUSE I USED A 2 WHEEL TOUCHDOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR. WHEN THE TAIL WAS ABOUT TO SETTLE TO THE RWY, THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO WEATHERVANE INTO THE PREVAILING WIND. I WAS APCHING THE RWY EDGE WHEN I ADDED PWR TO FULL. I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS NOT GETTING THE AIRPLANE TO STEER BACK EFFECTIVELY TOWARDS THE CTR AND I THOUGHT A GAR WOULD BE WARRANTED. WITH THE STICK AFT, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF. THE TORQUE, WIND, AND LOW AIRSPD TOOK EFFECT, AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO ROLL TO THE R. I IMMEDIATELY REDUCED THE ANGLE OF ATTACK AND NOW HAD THE MAIN GEAR BACK ON THE RWY. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER EFFECTIVELY BACK TOWARDS THE CTRLINE AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RWY ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST 180 DEGS TO THE ORIGINAL HDG ABOUT 200 FT FROM THE RWY. I BELIEVE I HAD DIRECTIONAL CTL DIFFICULTY BASED ON THE STEERING OF THE AIRPLANE WITH RUDDER, THE TAILWHEEL, FLAP SETTING, PWR SETTING, AND WIND CONDITIONS. CONSIDERING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, I WOULD HAVE FLOWN THE LNDG WITH A 1/2 FLAP SETTING (20 DEGS FOR THIS AIRPLANE). I WOULD IN THE FUTURE CONSIDER HOW MUCH PWR I USE FOR DIRECTIONAL CTL AND WHEN I MAKE MY DECISION TO GO AROUND. I WILL FURTHER EDUCATE MYSELF IN OTHER POSSIBLE PROBS THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO CTLABILITY ON LNDG. I ALSO CONTINUE TO STUDY THE USE OF 3-POINT LNDGS VERSUS 2-POINT LNDGS IN TAILWHEEL AIRPLANES WITH AN EMPHASIS TO BE FAMILIAR WITH BOTH TYPES.

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.