What happened
The accident occurred while the aircraft was on final approach to runway 24. During the landing flare phase, the pilot encountered unexpected wind conditions that included significant gusts. The aircraft touched down hard on the runway surface immediately following this event.
Following the impact, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the aircraft. This loss of control resulted in a ground loop maneuver. During the subsequent ground loop, the left wing made contact with the runway pavement, causing structural failure and breakage of that wing component.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have impacted normal operation. The pilot provided weather data indicating a wind direction from 260 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots at the time of the incident.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this accident were the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and the hard touchdown. The environmental conditions included gusty winds which likely contributed to the difficulty in controlling the aircraft upon impact.