A STUDENT PLT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY WITH WIND CORRECTIONS; AND DRIFTED OFF OF THE LNDG RWY; DAMAGING THE ACFT.

Narrative

THIS FLT WAS A SOLO XCOUNTRY; WITH A TOTAL OF 4 LNDGS AT DIFFERENT ARPTS; THE FINAL ARPT WAS GREAT FALLS INTL. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE FINAL LNDG AT GREAT FALLS. UPON A 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE DOWNWIND APCH; ON RWY 21; TWR STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 230 DEGS; AT 18 KTS. I EXPERIENCED LIGHT TURB ON BASE AND FINAL; BUT HAD THE ACFT LINED-UP ON CTR; WITH 20 DEGS OF FLAPS; AND CORRECT AIRSPD. UPON TOUCHING DOWN WITH THE L WHEEL; THE R WING RAISED; AND I APPLIED R AILERON TO LEVEL THE WINGS. THE ACFT WAS OFF CTRLINE DRIFTING L WITH THE NOSEWHEEL DOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE ACFT BACK; TO THE CTRLINE; BUT FAILED. THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY; INTO THE GRASS; L OF RWY 21. IT STRUCK A SMALL ARPT TXWY SIGN; CLRING DAMAGE TO THE FLAPS AND LOWER COWLING; MAKING THIS; AND ACFT INCIDENT. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED; INCLUDED; A WIND GUST WHICH RAISED THE R WING; UPON TOUCH-DOWN. EVEN THOUGH CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN; REACTION TIME WAS SLOW ENOUGH THAT THE SIT COULD NOT BE CORRECTED IN TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 297036: MET STUDENT; TALKED TO FLT SVC; STUDENT FINISHED PLANNING A SOLO XCOUNTRY.