Runway Excursion During Landing Flare

Incident Description and Pilot Report During a normal landing to runway 33 with twenty degrees of flaps extended, the pilot reported that a gust of wind abruptly lifted the left wing during the landing flare. As a result, the right wing struck the grass on the side of the runway. The pilot applied power to recover, but the airplane impacted the grass. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest upright. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane prior to the incident. ## Post-Accident Examination and Environmental Conditions A post-accident examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall, right horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and both wings. Recorded winds at the airport at approximately the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 12 knots.