Incident Overview
During the return leg of a cross-country flight, the pilot checked the weather at his planned destination airport. The wind speed was higher than his personal minimums, prompting him to divert to a nearby airport where calm wind was reported.
Sequence of Events
Upon arrival, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 11 and noticed that the wind was from the south. Prior to touchdown, the wind decreased and the airplane's nose tracked to the left. The pilot added power for a go-around but did not compensate with enough right rudder, which aggravated the airplane's misalignment. The airplane touched down and exited the side of the runway. During the excursion, the left wing struck a taxiway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that could have contributed to the accident. The event was entirely attributed to the pilot's handling of the go-around in changing wind conditions.
Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage from the impact with the taxiway sign. No injuries were reported.