Incident Overview
A solo student pilot was performing a landing in crosswind conditions on runway 16. As the airplane entered ground effect, a gust of wind lifted the aircraft and pushed it to the left. The pilot initiated a go-around and reported pushing the nose down slightly to gain lift. During the go-around, the pilot stated that he must have relaxed the aileron countering the wind, and another gust pushed the airplane to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and spun around.
Damage and Mechanical Condition
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Weather Conditions
The automated weather observation system at the airport reported, about 23 minutes before the accident, wind from 180° at 15 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The student pilot was landing on runway 16, which is consistent with the reported wind direction.
Sequence of Events
The pilot's account indicates that the loss of control occurred during the go-around phase. After the initial gust in ground effect prompted the go-around, the pilot's action of pushing the nose down was intended to gain lift. However, the subsequent relaxation of aileron input allowed the crosswind to push the airplane left, leading to ground impact and a spin.