N3160F

On May 16, 1996, at 1740 central daylight time, a Cessna 182J, N3160F, owned and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained substantial damage during landing at Cherokee County Airport, Jacksonville, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was filed for the cross country flight. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Tyler, Texas, approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident.

The following paragraph is based on the pilot's written statement. Tyler Pounds Field airport's ATIS was reporting wind at 180 degrees and 10 knots. When the airplane departed Tyler, the tower informed the pilot the winds were gusting in excess of 25 knots. During landing touchdown, at Cherokee County Airport, the airplane became airborne. The airplane touched down "hard" and again became airborne. The pilot applied full power and performed a go-around. The pilot's second landing was without incident. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the propeller blades were bent, the nose landing gear tire was flat, the firewall was bent, and the floor of the cockpit was bent. The pilot stated that, "In the future I will remain at Tyler Pound Field until twilight and wait for these gusting winds to die down."