Incident Overview
The pilot reported that during the landing roll on a 50-feet-wide turf runway, a gust of wind impacted the airplane. This caused the aircraft to turn to the left and depart the left side of the runway. After regaining control, the pilot attempted to avoid a ditch by applying right rudder input.
Damage Assessment
The left main landing gear subsequently impacted the ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot stated that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane before the incident.
Pilot Actions
The pilot's corrective action of applying right rudder was intended to steer the aircraft away from the ditch. However, the left main landing gear still struck the ditch, leading to the structural damage reported.