What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC was on an IFR flight plan into Laurel Montana. He obtained weather information about 80 miles out and was released for a visual approach by ATC. Wind was 250 @ 10-15KTS so he picked rwy 22. As he turned base to final he looked at the windsock and thought it pretty well matched up with the weather report. He held a crab coming in on final and as he touched down a gust of wind pushed him hard from the right. He used his yoke, pedals, and brake to try and correct right but was unable to do so and continued getting pushed. At this point he felt a go around was unsafe. The taxiway was coming up quick and he was still getting pushed from right to left. He decided it was better to go into the grass than try and make a sharp turn onto the taxiway. After the aircraft veered into the grass the front tire hit a dip and consequently the prop hit the ground. No injuries, pilot was only person on board, minimal damage to aircraft propeller.
As the FAA filed it
PIC WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN INTO LAUREL MONTANA. HE OBTAINED WEATHER INFORMATION ABOUT 80 MILES OUT AND WAS RELEASED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH BY ATC. WIND WAS 250 @ 10-15KTS SO HE PICKED RWY 22. AS HE TURNED BASE TO FINAL HE LOOKED AT THE WINDSOCK AND THOUGHT IT PRETTY WELL MATCHED UP WITH THE WEATHER REPORT. HE HELD A CRAB COMING IN ON FINAL AND AS HE TOUCHED DOWN A GUST OF WIND PUSHED HIM HARD FROM THE RIGHT. HE USED HIS YOKE, PEDALS, AND BRAKE TO TRY AND CORRECT RIGHT BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO AND CONTINUED GETTING PUSHED. AT THIS POINT HE FELT A GO AROUND WAS UNSAFE. THE TAXIWAY WAS COMING UP QUICK AND HE WAS STILL GETTING PUSHED FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. HE DECIDED IT WAS BETTER TO GO INTO THE GRASS THAN TRY AND MAKE A SHARP TURN ONTO THE TAXIWAY. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT VEERED INTO THE GRASS THE FRONT TIRE HIT A DIP AND CONSEQUENTLY THE PROP HIT THE GROUND. NO INJURIES, PILOT WAS ONLY PERSON ON BOARD, MINIMAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT PROPELLER.