What happened
Following takeoff, the pilot began the initial climb and retracted the landing gear at an altitude of approximately 50 feet above the ground. During this phase of flight, a wind gust struck the aircraft, causing it to descend and strike the runway. At the moment of the accident, the wind was recorded from 230 degrees at 9 knots.
Weather conditions at the airfield, which has an elevation of 9,070 feet MSL, had been variable leading up to the event. Previous readings showed winds from 170 to 240 degrees at 13 knots with gusts up to 21 knots at 1352, and winds from 150 to 250 degrees at 8 knots at 1411. The atmospheric conditions included an altimeter setting of 29.91 and a temperature of 1 degree Celsius (33.3 degrees Fahrenheit), resulting in a density altitude of 9,551 feet MSL.