NTSB Factual Report

On August 3, 2006, approximately 1615 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182E, N3344Y, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain while landing at private airstrip in Roset, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated at Billings, Montana, approximately 1500 and was en route to Roset, Wyoming.

According to a telephone interview with the pilot and the accident report he submitted, he was landing on runway 34, (2,100 ft. x 50 ft., dirt) at his private airstrip. He said the wind, as reported by the Gillette ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System), was from 300 degrees at 7 knots, with gusts to 16 knots. He approached at 65 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), using 20 degrees of flaps. "On short final I experienced a sharp gust of wind and increased power and added more left rudder to compensate," the pilot wrote. The airplane touched down 12-15 knots too fast and the airplane began to porpoise halfway down the runway. The nose gear hit "sharply." The pilot taxied to his hangar. Post accident examination revealed the firewall was wrinkled and the propeller was bent.

NTSB Probable Cause

an inadvertent pilot-induced porpoise and his improper remedial action. A contributing factor was the wind gust.