What happened
The pilot reported that during the flare for touch down, a sudden gust of wind lifted the left wing. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to stabilize the upset. The stall horn sounded and the aircraft drifted to the right side of the runway. The pilot was successful in stabilizing the aircraft when the left wing collided with a pine tree. The airplane touched down, collapsing the nose and left main landing gear. The airplane spun around about 180 degrees before coming to rest. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time.
The investigation
The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time.