Incident Summary
A pilot reported an accident that occurred while landing at Big Bear City Airport. According to the pilot, during the landing flare on runway 26, a gust of wind pushed the airplane off the runway, resulting in a collision with a light stanchion.
Pilot's Account
The pilot stated that during the approach, he monitored the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) and understood the wind to be from 250 degrees at 5 knots. On final approach to runway 26, he reported difficulty maintaining alignment, noting that he was 'fighting to keep lined up' and observed the windsock indicating a wind 90 degrees to the runway. During the landing flare, a gust pushed the airplane off the runway, leading to the collision.
Weather Information
The Big Bear City Airport AWOS reported wind conditions differing from the pilot's understanding. The AWOS indicated wind from 360 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots at the time of the accident.
Pilot's Remarks
The pilot commented that the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around or employed better crosswind landing technique.