PLT OF C172 ON IFR FLT PLAN HAS LOST COM. HE SQUAWKS APPROPRIATELY AND CONTINUES FLT. ON LNDG THE XWINDS ARE STRONG AND HE LOSES CTL OF ACFT AND WINGTIPS TOUCHED R WINGTIP; THEN L.

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I FLEW THE FIRST LEG IFR FROM AUS TO FST; 3.6 HRS. I STOPPED FOR FUEL AT FST AND FILED IFR FOR ELP; APPROX 190 NM. TOOK OFF AFTER 1 HR AGAIN. I WAS CRUISING AT DAWN AT 8000 FT AND FIRST PARTIALLY; THEN COMPLETELY AFTER APPROX 40 MINS; LOST COMS. AFTER PASSING SFL VOR I SQUAWKED 7600 AND CONTINUED VIA MY FLT PLAN. AREA WAS UNFAMILIAR TO ME; IT WAS NIGHT/DAWN; SO I THOUGHT IT'S BEST TO CONTINUE. AT THE GND IT WAS MAYBE MARGINAL VMC TO IMC. ABOVE (AT 8000 FT) IT WAS VMC. I COULD NOT GET AN UPDATED WX BRIEFING FROM FSS SAN ANGELO RADIO FOR THE GUSTY WINDS AT ELP. DURING THE BRIEFING ON THE GND HE TOLD ME: GUSTING 25-35 KTS. AT ELP IS WAS VERY; VERY BUMPY; STRONG TURB AND WINDSHEAR. BUT THE BEST WAS TO CONTINUE TO ELP (BIG RWYS; FAMILIARIZATION OF THE AREA BY CHARTS DIRECT IFR DEST). I FIRST APCHED RWY 26L. VERY HVY TURB; NO CHANCE TO MAKE ANY LNDG. ATIS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO COM LOSS. I TRIED RWY 22 ON MY OWN. AIRLINES WERE ALSO APCHING RWY 22. REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO DUST WINDS. THANK GOD I MADE A SAFE LNDG AFTER 3.9 HRS (MAYBE 1/2 HR LEFT IN THE FUEL TANKS); TAXIED ON THE RWY 22 TO TXWY Q WHERE I TOOK A XWIND. ACFT FLIPPED TO THE R WINGTIP SLOWLY; THEN TO THE L. NOBODY WAS HURT; FIRE DEPT TOWED THE ACFT AWAY. I ALSO HAD A BACKUP AND A HANDHELD ICOM A-21; BUT RAN OUT OF BATTERY AFTER 1/2 HR. I THINK AFTER APPROX 6 HRS OF FLYING; THE RADIOS GOT HOT (OLD KING RADIOS); THAT'S MAYBE WHY I LOST THEM!