What happened
During the final approach for landing, the pilot encountered a quartering headwind and applied the necessary corrections to account for wind drift. The initial touchdown resulted in the aircraft bouncing back into the air, followed by a second touchdown on the left side of the runway.
The pilot subsequently initiated a go-around. During the takeoff phase, the left main landing gear struck a runway light, causing damage to both the gear and the left wing. The pilot continued the takeoff and climbed to an altitude of 1,000 feet above the ground.
To assess the damage, the pilot performed two passes over the airport to allow maintenance personnel to inspect the aircraft. Once maintenance staff determined that the left landing gear was not locked, the pilot declared an emergency. The flight concluded with an emergency landing on the grass adjacent to the runway. No injuries were reported.
Findings
The pilot noted that the accident could have been avoided if a go-around had been executed at the moment it was realized the aircraft was high on final approach.