Incident Overview
A private pilot and a passenger were conducting a local sightseeing flight. Prior to departure, the pilot checked aviation weather services and an automated weather broadcast. The flight proceeded uneventfully until the return to land.
Weather Conditions
During the return, the pilot listened to the automated weather broadcast at a local airport to confirm wind direction and speed. However, the destination airport's windsock was not operational. The broadcast indicated a left quartering headwind, and the wave direction on the surface of the lake surrounding the airport corroborated this wind condition. The pilot reported the wind was gusty.
Landing Attempt
The pilot initiated landing and was able to touch down smoothly on the runway. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane encountered a "strong" wind gust from the right side. This caused the airplane to head left toward a ditch. In response, the pilot increased throttle to perform an aborted landing.
Aborted Landing and Collision
The airplane gained altitude and avoided impacting the ditch, a parked airplane, and a fence. However, during the go-around, the wing struck a small tree. Subsequently, the airplane "flipped" at that point. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wing.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane during the flight.