Accident Overview
A private pilot and his wife were conducting a cross-country flight. The pilot selected Runway 16, a 4,000-foot by 75-foot asphalt runway. He estimated the wind at 150 degrees at 5 knots. During the landing roll, a wind gust estimated at 260 degrees at 30 knots pushed the aircraft to the left and raised the nose. The pilot reported having little control of the aircraft.
Go-Around Attempt
To correct, the pilot turned right and attempted a go-around by adding full power. Witnesses observed the aircraft become airborne and fly at approximately 10 feet above ground level. It gradually lost altitude until it struck a 3-foot-high bank, then slid into a water-filled irrigation ditch.
Final Resting Place
The aircraft came to rest about 1,000 feet west of the runway. Several witnesses confirmed that the wind had gusted suddenly during the attempted landing.