The Incident
According to the pilot's written statement, the approach was conducted at an idle power setting while performing a slip. During the landing flare, the pilot experienced a sudden and strong side drift to the right. The pilot applied full power to abort the landing and attempted to correct back to the runway centerline. At that point, the airplane's lower fuselage impacted a runway sign.
Damage and Control Issues
The impact with the sign resulted in the failure of an aileron control rod, which limited airplane control. The pilot diverted to an airport with a larger runway and landed uneventfully.
Wind Conditions
About 30 minutes prior to the landing, the wind at the accident airport was reported as variable at 5 knots. Thirty minutes following the event, the wind was reported as a 10-knot headwind with a 10-degree offset to the right from the runway centerline.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported no previous anomalies with the airplane or engine that would have prevented their normal operations.