Incident Overview
A flight instructor and student were conducting soft field touch-and-go landings on runway 17R. During the third landing, a gust of wind pushed the aircraft approximately 2 to 3 feet left of the runway centerline. The airplane subsequently left the paved surface and entered the grass, where it impacted a runway edge light.
Immediate Actions
The instructor regained control and maneuvered the aircraft back onto the runway. The flight lesson continued for another hour after the incident. No abnormalities were noted during the remainder of the flight.
Post-Flight Discovery
After the flight concluded and both occupants exited the aircraft, the instructor observed that the horizontal stabilizer had sustained substantial damage. The extent of the damage was not apparent during flight.
Damage Assessment
The impact with the runway light resulted in structural damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The aircraft was not operated further pending inspection and repair.