Narrative:

I was flying as PIC on a business trip between las and cos in my piper meridian at FL250 on an IFR flight plan. Midway during the flight segment; ZLC announced a new SIGMET for occasional severe turbulence between alamosa and lamar; co; between FL290 and FL430. I obtained the metar for cos which reported winds of 290 degrees at 20 KTS gusting to 30 KTS with no mention of LLWS. However; during cruise descent; I obtained the ATIS broadcast from cos which reported similar winds but added a caution for LLWS. The sky was 11000 ft scattered with visibility greater than 10 mi and the barometric pressure was 31.03. Temperature was 17 degrees and dewpoint was -17 degrees. During cruise descent I reduced torque to obtain maneuvering speed for the moderate turbulence I was experiencing but fortunately did not encounter any turbulence worse than moderate. I requested and was granted the GPS 30 approach. On the GPS 30 approach I requested a 'wind check' and was given '290 degrees at 20 KTS.' the approach to landing was stable but required slightly more left wing down and right rudder to maintain runway alignment during the last 100 ft before touchdown. I experienced and reported to the cos tower a loss of 10K IAS at 200-300 ft AGL on the approach. I intentionally carried some additional torque for the LLWS; and consequently; crossed the runway threshold at 95K instead of the customary speed of 90K. As I crossed the runway threshold; the aircraft was straight and aligned with the runway centerline. I closed the throttle completely as I crossed the threshold and raised the nose of the aircraft slightly. The nose up adjustment resulted in a slight ballooning of the aircraft. Very shortly thereafter; I was 1/2 way between the centerline and the right runway edge and with more yaw to the left than felt comfortable but with main gear and nosewheel on the runway surface. I corrected the left yaw with right rudder; and in the next instant found myself off the runway; outside of the runway edge lights and aligned straight and parallel with the runway centerline. The experience seemed as if I were instantaneously picked up and moved off of the runway -- I did not experience a gradual drift to the right and do not believe the landing gear were in contact with the ground during this brief interval the aircraft was moved to the right and off of the runway. Rolling parallel to; but off; the runway; I allowed my speed to dissipate and then gradually brought the plane back to the runway centerline. The tower inquired if I were ok; to which I replied that I was fine and was sorry for my poor performance in the crosswind. I also commented that I did not feel I had hit any of the runway edge lights. My request to roll to the end of runway 30 was granted. At the end of runway 30 I was then given permission by the tower to cross the north end of runway 35L and taxi to parking. While taxiing on taxiway a; I found maintaining directional control and was difficult due to strong xwinds. The rudder control of my nosewheel steering was barely able to hold a straight direction on the taxiway. Once I arrived at the FBO; I went into the terminal and immediately called the tower. I thanked them for their assistance; again apologized for my non-professional landing and requested that they have ground maintenance check the runway edge lights to make sure I had not caused any damage. The tower informed me that they had just completed a check of the runway edge lights and no damage was found. I completed a thorough inspection of my aircraft; including a meticulous inspection of the landing gear and wheel wells and found no evidence of damage. The return flight the following day to my home airport of fcm was uneventful. I landed at fcm on runway 28R with winds of 320 degrees at 20 KTS gusting to 25 KTS with no problem and no indication of equipment malfunction. I have spent 2.5 hours with one of my instructors working on crosswind lndgs and emergency gars. All of those lndgs and procedures went well; although we did discover that my right brake had 2-3 times the travel compared with the left brake. I had not noticed this previously and do not know if this existed prior to my poor landing at cos or may have been the result of the landing. Since having my mechanic bleed both brakes; braking with left and right brakes is again symmetrical. If the asymmetry did exit prior to the cos landing; this may have been a contributing factor my difficulty in maintaining longitudinal control on the runway. I have the following thoughts about my cos landing and ways to improve performance in the future: 1) LLWS advisories were in effect; and I was landing at a higher indicated airspeed than is customary. Although I believe that carrying extra torque under such circumstances of LLWS is appropriate; higher speed at flare or touchdown compromises directional control after landing. 2) I believe that once I found myself displaced to the right of the runway centerline and had the yaw to the left; I was most concerned about longitudinal directional control and failed to maintain adequate left aileron deflection. 3) I may have been better off once I was displaced to the right and yawed left to have aborted the landing and gone around for another approach. I am like so many pilots in that we often try to salvage every landing at all costs. Promptly adding torque and going around may have been more prudent in my situation; for I had much runway available ahead of me. I hope I shall acquire less reluctance to abort either an unstabilized approach or a poor initial landing flare or rollout and go around for a second try. 4) I think that as I flared for the landing; I received a strong; lateral crosswind gust. I probably would not have suspected this had I not had such a challenge controling my forward directional roll as I taxied south on taxiway a to the ramp after landing. This experience was frightening. I feel thankful no one was hurt and no equipment or property were damaged. This has served; however; as a meaningful learning experience and an opportunity for additional training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA46 PLT RECOUNTS RWY EXCURSION IN GUSTY LLWS CONDITIONS AT COS.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS PIC ON A BUSINESS TRIP BTWN LAS AND COS IN MY PIPER MERIDIAN AT FL250 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. MIDWAY DURING THE FLT SEGMENT; ZLC ANNOUNCED A NEW SIGMET FOR OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURB BTWN ALAMOSA AND LAMAR; CO; BTWN FL290 AND FL430. I OBTAINED THE METAR FOR COS WHICH RPTED WINDS OF 290 DEGS AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS WITH NO MENTION OF LLWS. HOWEVER; DURING CRUISE DSCNT; I OBTAINED THE ATIS BROADCAST FROM COS WHICH RPTED SIMILAR WINDS BUT ADDED A CAUTION FOR LLWS. THE SKY WAS 11000 FT SCATTERED WITH VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10 MI AND THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE WAS 31.03. TEMP WAS 17 DEGS AND DEWPOINT WAS -17 DEGS. DURING CRUISE DSCNT I REDUCED TORQUE TO OBTAIN MANEUVERING SPD FOR THE MODERATE TURB I WAS EXPERIENCING BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANY TURB WORSE THAN MODERATE. I REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED THE GPS 30 APCH. ON THE GPS 30 APCH I REQUESTED A 'WIND CHK' AND WAS GIVEN '290 DEGS AT 20 KTS.' THE APCH TO LNDG WAS STABLE BUT REQUIRED SLIGHTLY MORE L WING DOWN AND R RUDDER TO MAINTAIN RWY ALIGNMENT DURING THE LAST 100 FT BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. I EXPERIENCED AND RPTED TO THE COS TWR A LOSS OF 10K IAS AT 200-300 FT AGL ON THE APCH. I INTENTIONALLY CARRIED SOME ADDITIONAL TORQUE FOR THE LLWS; AND CONSEQUENTLY; CROSSED THE RWY THRESHOLD AT 95K INSTEAD OF THE CUSTOMARY SPD OF 90K. AS I CROSSED THE RWY THRESHOLD; THE ACFT WAS STRAIGHT AND ALIGNED WITH THE RWY CTRLINE. I CLOSED THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY AS I CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AND RAISED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT SLIGHTLY. THE NOSE UP ADJUSTMENT RESULTED IN A SLIGHT BALLOONING OF THE ACFT. VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER; I WAS 1/2 WAY BTWN THE CTRLINE AND THE R RWY EDGE AND WITH MORE YAW TO THE L THAN FELT COMFORTABLE BUT WITH MAIN GEAR AND NOSEWHEEL ON THE RWY SURFACE. I CORRECTED THE L YAW WITH R RUDDER; AND IN THE NEXT INSTANT FOUND MYSELF OFF THE RWY; OUTSIDE OF THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS AND ALIGNED STRAIGHT AND PARALLEL WITH THE RWY CTRLINE. THE EXPERIENCE SEEMED AS IF I WERE INSTANTANEOUSLY PICKED UP AND MOVED OFF OF THE RWY -- I DID NOT EXPERIENCE A GRADUAL DRIFT TO THE R AND DO NOT BELIEVE THE LNDG GEAR WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE GND DURING THIS BRIEF INTERVAL THE ACFT WAS MOVED TO THE R AND OFF OF THE RWY. ROLLING PARALLEL TO; BUT OFF; THE RWY; I ALLOWED MY SPD TO DISSIPATE AND THEN GRADUALLY BROUGHT THE PLANE BACK TO THE RWY CTRLINE. THE TWR INQUIRED IF I WERE OK; TO WHICH I REPLIED THAT I WAS FINE AND WAS SORRY FOR MY POOR PERFORMANCE IN THE XWIND. I ALSO COMMENTED THAT I DID NOT FEEL I HAD HIT ANY OF THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS. MY REQUEST TO ROLL TO THE END OF RWY 30 WAS GRANTED. AT THE END OF RWY 30 I WAS THEN GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE TWR TO CROSS THE N END OF RWY 35L AND TAXI TO PARKING. WHILE TAXIING ON TXWY A; I FOUND MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CTL AND WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO STRONG XWINDS. THE RUDDER CTL OF MY NOSEWHEEL STEERING WAS BARELY ABLE TO HOLD A STRAIGHT DIRECTION ON THE TXWY. ONCE I ARRIVED AT THE FBO; I WENT INTO THE TERMINAL AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TWR. I THANKED THEM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE; AGAIN APOLOGIZED FOR MY NON-PROFESSIONAL LNDG AND REQUESTED THAT THEY HAVE GND MAINT CHK THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS TO MAKE SURE I HAD NOT CAUSED ANY DAMAGE. THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD JUST COMPLETED A CHK OF THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND. I COMPLETED A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF MY ACFT; INCLUDING A METICULOUS INSPECTION OF THE LNDG GEAR AND WHEEL WELLS AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. THE RETURN FLT THE FOLLOWING DAY TO MY HOME ARPT OF FCM WAS UNEVENTFUL. I LANDED AT FCM ON RWY 28R WITH WINDS OF 320 DEGS AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS WITH NO PROB AND NO INDICATION OF EQUIP MALFUNCTION. I HAVE SPENT 2.5 HRS WITH ONE OF MY INSTRUCTORS WORKING ON XWIND LNDGS AND EMER GARS. ALL OF THOSE LNDGS AND PROCS WENT WELL; ALTHOUGH WE DID DISCOVER THAT MY R BRAKE HAD 2-3 TIMES THE TRAVEL COMPARED WITH THE L BRAKE. I HAD NOT NOTICED THIS PREVIOUSLY AND DO NOT KNOW IF THIS EXISTED PRIOR TO MY POOR LNDG AT COS OR MAY HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF THE LNDG. SINCE HAVING MY MECH BLEED BOTH BRAKES; BRAKING WITH L AND R BRAKES IS AGAIN SYMMETRICAL. IF THE ASYMMETRY DID EXIT PRIOR TO THE COS LNDG; THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MY DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING LONGITUDINAL CTL ON THE RWY. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING THOUGHTS ABOUT MY COS LNDG AND WAYS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN THE FUTURE: 1) LLWS ADVISORIES WERE IN EFFECT; AND I WAS LNDG AT A HIGHER INDICATED AIRSPD THAN IS CUSTOMARY. ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THAT CARRYING EXTRA TORQUE UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES OF LLWS IS APPROPRIATE; HIGHER SPD AT FLARE OR TOUCHDOWN COMPROMISES DIRECTIONAL CTL AFTER LNDG. 2) I BELIEVE THAT ONCE I FOUND MYSELF DISPLACED TO THE R OF THE RWY CTRLINE AND HAD THE YAW TO THE L; I WAS MOST CONCERNED ABOUT LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONAL CTL AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE L AILERON DEFLECTION. 3) I MAY HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF ONCE I WAS DISPLACED TO THE R AND YAWED L TO HAVE ABORTED THE LNDG AND GONE AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH. I AM LIKE SO MANY PLTS IN THAT WE OFTEN TRY TO SALVAGE EVERY LNDG AT ALL COSTS. PROMPTLY ADDING TORQUE AND GOING AROUND MAY HAVE BEEN MORE PRUDENT IN MY SITUATION; FOR I HAD MUCH RWY AVAILABLE AHEAD OF ME. I HOPE I SHALL ACQUIRE LESS RELUCTANCE TO ABORT EITHER AN UNSTABILIZED APCH OR A POOR INITIAL LNDG FLARE OR ROLLOUT AND GAR FOR A SECOND TRY. 4) I THINK THAT AS I FLARED FOR THE LNDG; I RECEIVED A STRONG; LATERAL XWIND GUST. I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE SUSPECTED THIS HAD I NOT HAD SUCH A CHALLENGE CTLING MY FORWARD DIRECTIONAL ROLL AS I TAXIED S ON TXWY A TO THE RAMP AFTER LNDG. THIS EXPERIENCE WAS FRIGHTENING. I FEEL THANKFUL NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO EQUIP OR PROPERTY WERE DAMAGED. THIS HAS SERVED; HOWEVER; AS A MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.