Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing in gusting wind condition which resulted in a collision with terrain.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that the airplane was configured for landing on runway 30, and he intended to perform a three-point landing. He estimated that the wind was from 260° at 30 kts. When the airplane was about 1 ft above the runway surface, it encountered a microburst with a strong gust of wind which lifted the left wing. The pilot was unable to counteract the sudden attitude shift and the right wing drug on the ground. The pilot attempted to abort the landing as the left wing then impacted the ground, and the airplane became airborne shortly thereafter. The pilot remained in the airport traffic pattern and landed uneventfully. The left aileron was partially torn off as a result of the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.