What happened
The pilot and passenger initially overflew the airport, noting that the windsock indicated conditions favoring the use of runway 01. While performing the final approach to runway 01, the aircraft was approximately 50 feet above the runway surface when it encountered a sudden gust of wind originating from the left side.
In response to the gust, the pilot increased engine power and was in the process of retracting the landing gear when the airplane struck the ground. The impact occurred while the aircraft was in a level attitude, causing the plane to bounce. Following the event, the pilot noted that the windsock was fully extended and pointing perpendicular to runway 01. Winds reported 10 miles northeast of the airport were recorded at 310 degrees at 17 knots, with gusts up to 22 knots. The pilot confirmed there were no malfunctions regarding the engine or flight controls, and there were no injuries reported.
Findings
The investigation noted that while the initial observation suggested runway 01 was favorable, the actual wind conditions involved a significant gust from the left. The aircraft's contact with the ground occurred during the transition of retracting landing gear following a power adjustment to compensate for the sudden wind gust.