Incident Overview
The aircraft landed at an airport equipped with a UNICOM and two runways: 17/35 and 10/28. The pilot had an operable radio but did not contact UNICOM. He chose to land on Runway 17, which had a crosswind from 100 degrees at 20 knots.
Landing Attempt
During the approach, the pilot compensated for the crosswind by lowering the left wing and keeping the fuselage aligned with the runway. He reported that just before touchdown, a gust of wind raised the left wing and caused the right main wheel to strike the runway. The aircraft then weathervaned and departed the left side of the runway.
Go-Around and Crash
The pilot added full power, maneuvered the plane back over the runway, retracted the flaps, and attempted to climb out. However, the aircraft was headed toward parked airplanes and a small tower. The pilot turned right to avoid the obstacles, but the right wing struck the ground, and the aircraft crashed.
Environmental Factors
Hangars were located to the east of Runway 17. The pilot believed that wind blowing over the hangars created turbulence, which he said caused him to lose control.