What happened
During the final stages of an approach, the pilot encountered significant weather conditions reported by the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). Specifically, the weather station indicated strong wind gusts ranging from 15 to 25 knots directed straight down the runway path.
As the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 20 feet above ground level, the flight crew encountered moderate turbulence. In response to these conditions, the pilot decided to abort the landing attempt and initiated a climb. During this maneuver, the aircraft's airspeed began to decrease, which prevented the plane from gaining sufficient altitude.
While attempting to recover, the aircraft was struck by another intense gust of wind. This sudden force pushed the aircraft into a nose-down attitude with the right wing low. The pilot was unable to regain control of the aircraft, resulting in a collision with the runway. The impact caused substantial damage to the right wing.
Findings
There were no reports of mechanical failures or malfunctions occurring prior to the impact that would have prevented the aircraft from operating normally. The primary factor in the loss of control was the impact of strong wind gusts during the transition from landing to a climb.