Pilot Reports Wind Gust During Landing Flare; Aircraft Veers Left and Strikes Sign

Landing Incident

The pilot of an airplane reported that during the landing flare on runway 16L, he experienced a gust of wind from the right. In response, he applied left rudder and right aileron to lower the right wing. When the nose landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot then applied minimal right steering and braking to avoid overcorrecting and colliding with an airplane that was landing on runway 16 right.

Runway Excursion

The airplane subsequently exited the left side of the runway and struck a taxiway sign before coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

Weather and Mechanical Report

The meteorological aerodrome report for the airport at the time of the accident indicated that the wind was calm. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.