Incident Description
According to the pilot, the straight-in landing final approach was smooth. As the aircraft's airspeed decreased from 80 to 65 knots, and with the wheels only inches above the runway surface, the right wing suddenly lifted. This caused the aircraft to veer to the left and touch down on the dirt beside the runway.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported that the approach had been uneventful until the unexpected wing lift occurred. The pilot stated that he either encountered an unseen dust devil on the runway or entered the vortex turbulence of a light twin-engine aircraft that had just departed from the same runway. The type of the other aircraft was unknown.
Weather Conditions
Wind conditions at the time were described as light and variable, with no reported gusts. The pilot did not mention any other weather phenomena.
Possible Causes
In the pilot's opinion, the sudden wing lift could have been caused by either a dust devil—a small, localized whirlwind—or by wake turbulence generated by the preceding departing twin-engine aircraft. No other potential causes were offered in the report.