Incident Overview
A Piper PA-28R-200 was substantially damaged during landing when a gust of wind affected the aircraft during the flare. The pilot reported that while the airplane was approximately 3 to 4 feet above the runway, it was "caught" by a gust of wind. This resulted in the airplane impacting the runway with lateral motion that "side loaded" the landing gear. Despite the substantial damage, the pilot noted that the landing did not feel particularly hard.
Conditions and Pilot Report
The pilot stated that a crosswind of 10 to 15 knots was present at the time of the accident. No other weather conditions were reported. The exact stage of the landing (flare) and the pilot's actions were described as normal until the gust occurred.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft due to the side loading of the landing gear. The specific components damaged were not detailed beyond the landing gear. The pilot did not report any injuries. The aircraft type is a Piper PA-28R-200, a single-engine retractable gear airplane. The registration and operator information were not provided in the source.
Investigation Information
The investigation is based solely on the pilot's report. No additional analysis or conclusions have been drawn beyond the factual sequence of events as described by the pilot. The source did not state a probable cause.