What happened
During the landing roll, the pilot reported that a sudden gust of wind from the west struck the right wing of the aircraft. This lateral force caused the aircraft to ground loop violently. The impact resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear and sustained damage to the left wing structure.
While the nearest weather observation facility recorded winds from 350 degrees at 8 knots, the pilot stated that westerly winds were actually prevailing at 20 knots with gusts reaching 25 knots during the landing phase.
The investigation
The accident investigation focused on the mechanical damage sustained during the ground loop. Examination confirmed the collapse of the left main landing gear and structural damage to the left wing. No other mechanical failures were identified prior to the event.
Findings
Contributing factors included the crosswind conditions reported by the pilot, which exceeded the surface observations recorded at the nearby weather station. The discrepancy between the observed wind speed and the pilot's report suggests localized gusts played a significant role in the loss of directional control.